Imogene Barrett

If Ever Anyone Deserved a Rest

It is with broken hearts that we announce that Imogene Barrett, 91, has passed peacefully after 16 years of dementia. Mother (Nanny) left many dear friends and her beloved Sharon Jackson at her assisted living home in Athens, GA. and her family who loved her. She was born, one of 10 children, one of whom was deceased at birth to Herman David and Omatene Bennett in Lawrenceville, GA. Then they moved to Cumming, GA.

She lived her whole life in the Cumming area, first on the family farm, and then her own farm shared with her husband, Ira Barrett. She is preceded in death by him and her parents; her brothers: Howard, Cecil, Johnny and Douglas Bennett, and by her sisters: Barbara Frix and Martha Turner. She was a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church most of her life and then Concord Baptist Church in Silver City. 

Survivors include daughter, Catherine Barrett Bearden (John) and son Edgar Barrett (Janet); her grandchildren, Leisha B. Earnhart (Kip), Todd Bearden (Elizabeth) and Brett Barrett whom she loved and cherished, and by her great grandchildren, 4 yr old twins Jack and Savannah, and Max Bearden, all of Athens, her sister, Verlene Grier, and her brother, Winford (Eva) Bennett. And by several nieces and nephews, she loved as her own.

She was known for her sense of humor, and her kindness, her quilts, her bountiful gardens and biscuits and pickles and jellies. She celebrated people and made everyone feel welcome. Now she is celebrating in her heavenly home.

Her Celebration of Life service will be in Ingram Funeral Home chapel on February 5 at 1:00 p.m., with Reverend Scott Sorrells and Reverend Harrold Bottoms officiating. No visitation is scheduled. Burial will be in Concord Baptist Church Cemetery. Flowers are welcome as she dearly loved growing them.

 At the hospital, her doctor said she only has a few days and don't feed her solid food, as she may aspirate. How ironic that we can't feed a woman, who fed people all of her life. As a child she fired up the wood stove and made biscuits and breakfast for the 11 members of her family. In the 1930's electricity had not come thru North Georgia until the late 30's, so she built the fires that cooked the meals. She, with her brothers, worked on the farm. They were the first family to get a refrigerator because her mother had to have insulin kept cool. When she told her classmates, they accused her of lying! No one else had such a luxury!

She was a mother who sacrificed things she needed so that her children could have opportunities: college, camps, baseball, choir, typewriters, jobs. And she thought nothing of it. A grandmother who saved every photo and newspaper article, neatly tucked away in her bible. She deserves a rest.....

Ingram Funeral Home, 210 Ingram Ave, Cumming, GA is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be expressed online at ingramfuneralhome.com.