Barbara May Scantlin

Barbara May Scantlin lost her battle with lymphoma and died on June 13, 2015 in Las Animas,Colorado at the age of 78. Barbara lived in Neosho, Missouri with her husband Bill Scantlinfor over 35 years after his retirement from the United States Navy. She recently returned toLa Junta to be closer to friends and family.


Barbara Scantlin was born on January 7, 1937, in La Junta, Colorado. She was daughter to Lee Austin and Eula May Skinner and the youngest sister to Harold Skinner and Beatrice Skinner (Scott). While growing up she learned to ride horses and developed a lifelong love for the lore and technique of western saddle riding. She competed in numerous Kids Rodeos where she made lifelong friends and earned honors as high point Rodeo Girl and won countless races. She undoubtedly found freedom and joy on the back of a horse. It was one of the things she missed most later in life. The hills and bluffs of North La Junta as well as the Arkansas River bottoms were her territories to explore.


She graduated from La Junta High School in 1955. Upon graduation she worked for the Santa Fe Railroad and attended Otero Junior College. During this time she met William S. Scantlin. Upon Bill’s commissioning in the Navy, the two were married December 23, 1957, in Raton, New Mexico. They moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, beginning what would be over 50 years of marriage and a life together hopping around the world wherever the Navy saw fit to send them.


Barbara raised her family in locales from Iwakuni, Japan to suburban Washington D.C. Barbara had the ability to make each location feel like home and to make her family a home even when they were half the world away from Colorado. Barbara visited cities such as Hong Kong, Bangkok, Hiroshima and Manila during her time as a Navy wife. She was also very active in the Navy Officer’s Wives Organization during this time overseas. From 1967-1968Barbara and her children returned to La Junta for a year while Bill was serving in Viet Nam. Later while the family was living in Maryland, Barbara was very involved with directing and playing piano for the Children’s Choir at Lexington Park Southern Baptist Church.


Upon Bill’s retirement, Barbara moved with her family to Neosho, Missouri near their McDonald County farm which she and Bill had purchased from his grandparents. Bill, Barbara and their three children: Ward, Kelly Jo, and Scott enjoyed the 80 acre Neosho farm the family bought. Barbara worked at the award winning Neosho Nurseries from1978 until it closed its doors in 1984. She then worked for the Crowder College Admissions Department until her retirement. Barbara always enjoyed being a “gentlewoman farmer”on their land; feeding and watering the horses and cattle and putting up the hay were always referred to as “chores” that she never tired of doing. Barbara was an avid reader during her life and consumed all manner of literature. She had a love for history especially the American Civil War and she passed along this appreciation and love of history to friends and family on frequent visits to the battlefields of Missouri.


Barbara is survived by her son, William Ward (Ronda) Scantlin of Dayton, OH and her daughter, Kelly Jo Smith of La Junta, CO; two grandchildren, Hannah Josephine Smith and Alexandra Lynn Scantlin; also survived by her sister Edna Bernice Scott.

In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested a donation be made to the Arkansas Valley Hospice, PO Box 408, La Junta, CO 81050, (719) 384-8827. Checks should be made payable to Arkansas Valley Hospice and on the memo line insert Barbara M. Scantlin.


Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.



Visitation will be held at the Peacock Memorial Chapel from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 18th. Services will be held on Friday, June 19, 2015 at 2:00 pm at the La Junta United Methodist Church in La Junta, Colorado and her burial will be at the Fox Cemetery in Powell, Missouri near her ancestral farm. Barbara and Bill had and took the opportunity to purchase their grandparent’s, Herschel and Allie Fox, homestead. That land became their summer vacation spot and bit of the promised land, and so their choosing to be buried at the Fox Cemetery is a coming home. May she rest in the comfort of her ancestors and know she was and is loved by her family.