Barbara Ardeth Van Laanen

Barbara Ardeth Van Laanen let go of this life in the early afternoon on May 4, 2018. Born in Blackwell, OK, on August 11, 1933 to Lilly and James Disbrow, she was an independent woman of quiet intelligence. Of all of her talents and skills, she may be remembered most for being a master handwork artist, including sewing, knitting, and crochet. A voracious reader, her favorite genre was science fiction and she delighted in the idea of flying to a faraway place aboard the starship Enterprise. She also loved singing, especially with a choir of beautiful voices, and was a devoted member of the choir at Our Lady's Cathedral for more than 30 years. With a natural affinity for numbers, Barbara was a self-taught accountant and worked for Woody & Associates, also for more than 30 years. She is survived by her daughters, Dara, Erin (married to John Myles) and Kerry (married to Edguardo Malaga); granddaughters, Rebecca and Elena, her brother, Jim Disbrow and his wife, Laura, and numerous extended family. We would also like to mention a dear cousin, Guy "Cotton" Lyall. A Prayer Service of Remembrance will be held for Barbara at Our Lady's Cathedral (30th and Western Ave. in Oklahoma City) on Sunday, May 27, beginning at 5 p.m. A reception will follow. Please join us in remembering and celebrating Barbara