Barbara Lavelle Yeager

Obituary Barbara Lavell Yeager, age 88, of Cullman, Alabama, passed away on March 24, 2026. She was born on June 27, 1937, in Erin, Tennessee, to Dudley Miller and Lois Lewis Miller. Barbara was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Thurmon Eugene Yeager. She is survived by her children: Lynn Hooten (Barry), Mike Yeager (Wren), Chris Yeager (Elaine), and Craig Yeager (Kellie, deceased); 12 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Sharon Lewis (Wilbur, deceased). Barbara lived a life marked by curiosity, creativity, and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She was a lifelong learner who refused to believe anything was impossible. Over the years, she taught herself countless skills—painting, calligraphy, upholstering, sewing clothes for her family, gardening and landscaping, electrical work, masonry, catering, floral design, Bible study teaching, computer work, and more. Every need she saw in others became an opportunity to learn a skill and use it to serve. She had a remarkable ability to take modest resources and create something extraordinary. She could feed an army and make it taste like a gourmet meal. She could take worn and broken furniture and fixtures and bring them back to life, filling her home with beauty and warmth. Barbara and her husband, Thurmon, shared a deep love for each other and for working their farm. Together, they built a life rooted in faith, hard work, and hospitality. They built a log cabin with their own hands using self-hewn logs and constructing a fireplace from rocks they hauled from the Duck River. The cabin became a place of rest and gathering for both family and friends. Their door was always open to family, to stray animals, and to anyone who needed a place to call home. In that spirit, Barbara and Thurmon welcomed in and raised Ken Simmons, a friend and classmate of their son Craig, loving him as one of their own. Her faith was central to who she was. Barbara faithfully served in her church and had a special passion for ministering to young people. Through her work in puppet ministry and Bible study, she poured into the lives of others with love and joy. Barbara saw value in everything and in everyone. She found great joy in allowing God to use her to restore and rescue things and people the world no longer saw as useful and had cast aside. Her legacy lives on in the family she raised and the countless lives she touched. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on April 11, 2026, at New Hope Church, 15 County Road 1698, Cullman, Alabama 35058.

Barbara Lavelle Yeager

June 27, 1937 - March 24, 2026