Katie Nell Middleton Barnhill

Katie Nell Middleton Barnhill lost her long and valiant fight with cancer and transitioned to New Life in God\'s Eternal Kingdom on July 1, 2015 at 12:30 p.m. at home. Katie was born on October 31, 1947 to her parents Anna Carrie Miller Middleton and Raleigh Lee Middleton in Natchitoches, LA. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 3, 2015 at Kilpatrick's Rose-Neath, Southside, Funeral Home in Shreveport. A Service of Worship and Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, 2015 at Christ United Methodist Church at 1204 Crabapple Dr. in Shreveport, conducted by Rev. Tom Howe. Interment will be at Beulah United Methodist Church Cemetery in Marthaville, LA. Pall Bearers are nephews: Gary Middleton, Delane Batts, Gregory Batts, Timothy Batts, Gary Pustejovsky, Tim Crump, Russell Barnhill, Michael Barnhill and Barry Scott. Katie was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Reginald Middleton, and sister, Claudette Middleton Batts McEachern. She is survived by her husband, Jimmy D. Barnhill, sons Jonathan Dale Barnhill and wife Melanie, granddaughter Anna Noelle Barnhill, step-grandsons, Jeb Womack and Zachary Womack of Bossier City, LA; Christopher Andrew Barnhill and wife Jayna, and granddaughter Eva Marie Barnhill of Lafayette, LA; Sister Barbara Ann Middleton Berry of Kemah, TX, brother Olis Middleton of Atoy, TX, nieces Sandra McCarty, Susanne Pustejovsky, Anita Johnson, all of Houston TX, Shelly Batts of Blanchard, LA, Patti Scott of Loveland, CO and a number of grandnieces and grandnephews, cousins, dear friends at CUMC and a host of special friends. Katie spent her early childhood years in Marthaville, LA. The family moved to north Caddo Parish when she was in the first grade and she grew up in Oil City, LA attending elementary and middle school there. She attended North Caddo High School through her junior year in high school, when her family moved back to Marthaville. Katie and Jimmy were high school sweethearts, and became engaged in their college years and were married on July 6, 1968 in Marthaville, LA. Katie was a graduate of Marthaville High School, (Class of 1965), and Northwestern State University (1969) with a major in Elementary Education. Katie loved children and her teaching career began in 1969 at Campti Elementary School teaching kindergarten. She and Jimmy moved to Shreveport in 1970 and she taught kindergarten at West Shreveport and Carver Elementary Schools. She retired in 2003, after serving 33 years as 6^th and 5^th grade teacher at Summer Grove Elementary School in Shreveport, LA. She was a proud member of the Gold Tigers (Retired Teachers of Summer Grove Elementary School Lunch Bunch). She was a member of Christ United Methodist Church of Shreveport, LA where she was a member of the Vista SS Class, and Grace Circle of Christ UMC Women. Katie enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her beloved granddaughters, Anna and Eva. She was known for serving delicious meals to family and friends, which always included her special "Katie Bread." Katie and Jimmy enjoyed traveling with special friends Dolores and Travis Owen and John and Cheryl Gaudin. She also enjoyed spending time with Jimmy and the rest of the family and friends at their country place in Marthaville, LA. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be made to the Christ UMC Music Fund, The Methodist Children's Home in Ruston or other charity of the donor's choice.