Barbara Ann DePue

Barbara Ann (Wolff) DePue, daughter of Charles and Jeannette, was born on the 9th of September, 1943. Her early life was spent in Dubuque, IA. In 1966, she began to volunteer in the Catholic Diocese of Prince George, British Columbia. She met her future husband Mike, a New Jersey native and fellow volunteer, in 1967 and they were married by Bishop Fergus O’Grady in 1969 at Fort St. James, BC. Their daughter Catherine was born on Valentine’s Day, 1971. (The ambient temperature that day was -40 F!) Returning to the US from British Columbia in 1972, they lived in Glasgow, MO and Kansas City before Mike entered graduate school at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Upon completion of his Master’s degree in 1977, the couple and their daughter moved to Aurora, MO. Barbara soon began working for the state Department of Mental Health in Springfield. The couple moved to Springfield in 1981 and has resided there until the present.

A graduate of Southwest Missouri University (BA) and Drury University (M.Ed), Barb retired from her long career with the Department of Mental Health at age 60. Never satisfied with inactivity, Barb soon began working as an assistant to the Director of Religious Education at Holy Trinity, the family parish since the early Eighties; she held that position for ten years. Undeterred by age, she began to volunteer at Safe to Sleep, a program providing shelter for women experiencing homelessness. Becoming known as the Little General due to her relentless organizing ability, she was forced to step away during the Covid Pandemic. She is survived by husband Mike, daughter Catherine Beck (Joe), brother Larry Wolff (Roberta), and sisters Janet Wolff and Sharon Vitas (Ovideo).

Visitation will be begin at 9:30 am Monday, April 6, 2026 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church 2818 E. Bennett St. Springfield, MO 65804, with the memorial mass to begin at 10:30 am with Fr. Shoby M. Chettiyath celebrant. The committal service will be at Resurrection Cemetery 4677 W. Division St. Springfield, MO 65802, all under the care of Herman Lohmeyer Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Safe to Sleep, a program of Crosslines Community Outreach, 3055 East Division Street, Springfield are encouraged.