Paul W. Barby was born on the family ranch on September 8, 1924 in the panhandle of Oklahoma, west of Knowles where he lived for his entire 97 years. He grew up on the family homestead with his mother, Lula Mae Hickmon Barby, his Father, Fred Barby Sr. and his brother Fred Barby. He and his brother Fred, who was two years his senior enjoyed cowboying and helping operate the family ranch. Paul had many fond memories of his child hood and recalls he and Fred riding horseback to town for church on Sunday mornings.
Paul attended school in Knowles and graduated from Knowles High school in 1942. After graduating high-school he and Fred started to grow their family ranch into a successful cow/calf operation, producing an elite line of registered Hereford cattle. Paul farmed and ranched until he was 85 when his trusted steed, Old Bay, became ill, leading to the end of his saddle riding days.
Paul was an active member of the community and enjoyed going to social gatherings and spending time with friends at the Laverne Bowling alley where he was a part of the men’s bowling league. He enjoyed the bachelor life until he met the love of his life, Letta Mae Briles at the age of 55. They were united in marriage on August 9, 1980. They built their family home just a few hundred yards north of where he grew up as a child. They enjoyed life on the ranch and attended the Knowles Nazarene Church, where Paul was a member until the church closed in 2020. Together they spent their time traveling, entertaining guests at their home and hosting their daughter Jackie, her husband Chris and their two grandchildren, Danielle and Reagan. Paul was a devoted father and grandfather and enjoyed going to all of the grandkid’s sporting and school events. Paul and Mae’s house and ranch was a highly rated travel destination for all of his grandchildren’s friends to experience real cowboy living, with horseback riding and all. Paul served several years as a board member of Perryton Equity, the Knowles Cemetery Board, and a number of other committees in the community. Paul and Mae were named the Farm Family of the Year in 1988 by the Beaver County Farm Bureau. Paul was the definition of a true cowboy, he, loved the western culture, loved the plains of western Oklahoma and loved the beautiful sunsets in the western sky. He enjoyed the simple life! He is now united with his Lord and Savior and his precious wife, “Mazie”.
He is preceded in death by his wife Letta Mae Barby, his mother and father, Fred and Lula Mae Barby; brother, Fred Barby and wife, Mildred (Briles) Barby. He is survived by his daughter Jackie Dezort and husband Chris of Woodward; his granddaughter, Danielle Minton and husband Noah Minton of Edmond; grandson Reagan Dezort of Woodward; and his four great grandchildren, Oakland Dezort, Sage Minton, Nathaniel Dezort and Lola Mae Minton, nephew Lonnie and Cindy Bailey and a host of family and cousins.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Gate Fire Department, Rt. 1, Box 351, Gate, OK 73844