Obituary: Barbara Powell Pendleton

Barbara Powell Pendleton

Barbara Powell Pendleton, of Grassy Creek, NC, passed away Friday, December 6, 2024, at Margate Health & Rehab Center.

Barbara was born in Hinton, WV, in 1934. She was the daughter of Charles E. and Jean Graham Powell. Barbara attended Hinton High School and graduated in 1952. After graduation, she was employed by the C.I.A., Washington, DC, and the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company in Charleston, WV. Barbara returned to Hinton in 1955, where she married Herbert F. Wyant. She was an active member of the Presbyterian Church, where she was a member of the choir for twelve years.

Beginning in 1963, she enrolled at Concord College and earned her B.S. degree in 1967. After several years of teaching in high school, she began a Masters Program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA. Afterward, she was employed at the Southern Appalachian Regional Health Council, Princeton, WV, in Human Resources Management and taught at the Mercer County Vocational Technical Center. In 1974, she was the recipient of a scholarship from the state of West Virginia to attend graduate school under the Education Professions Development Act. Once again, Barbara chose VPI & SU, where she graduated in 1976.

Upon graduation, she accepted a position at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. She was a tenured associate professor at USC in 1986. She then moved to Asheville, NC, to accept a teaching position at Mars Hill College. She remained there, until early retirement in 1998. While at MHC, she was blessed to travel to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, under the auspices of the People to People Ambassador Program. In 1994, she volunteered and taught in Zhengzhou, China, and lived on the Henan College campus. While in China, she traveled to Beijing, Lian, and other places of interest. Barbara also traveled to South America, Amsterdam, Paris, and Switzerland.

Barbara was a lover of education, students, gardening, animals, friends, and family. She did volunteer work for Hospice, NC.

She was preceded in death by her mother; father; brother, Charles (Sonny) Powell; and sister, Nancy Powell Nutter.

She is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth Wyant Williamson (Tom), of Albemarle, NC, and Janet Wyant Carr (Charles), of Grassy Creek, NC; a stepson Mark Pendleton, of Charleston, WV; five grandchildren, Richard “Casey” Scott, of Princeton, WV, Lauren Williamson Hoffman, of Fairfax Station, VA, Clay Williamson, of Front Royal, VA, Tyler Williamson, of Big Lake, MN, and Zachary Williamson, of Albemarle, NC; and five great-grandchildren, Griffin Rivers Scott, RJ Hoffman, ‘Gracie’ Hoffman, Keller Williamson, and Owen Williamson. Several nieces and nephews also survive, as well as friends.

Family will gather at a later date to celebrate Barbara’s life.

You may give the family your condolences at our website www.boonefuneralhome.com.

Boone Family Funeral Home of West Jefferson, NC, is in charge of these arrangements.