Mrs. Barbara Kurachi
Mrs. Barbara Jean Chandler Kurachi, age 68, resident of Austin, Texas, passed peacefully from this life on Saturday, August 6, 2022, in Austin.

Barbara was born in Sentinel, Oklahoma on February 7, 1954, and was raised between Sentinel, Arkansas, and west Texas. After graduating high school, she moved to Austin, Texas, where she met her husband, George.  She and George were married for over forty-seven years. Together they raised and homeschooled four ridiculously amazing daughters.

Barbara was determined to make home-cooked meals as often as possible for her family.  She also loved to bake things like bread and cinnamon rolls from scratch. Every Christmas George and the girls helped her make dozens and dozens of cookies and pies for friends. Everyone loved the treats and never wanted to be taken off the list for baked goods. An accomplished sewer like her mom, Barbara also volunteered at church making banners and costumes. She loved her family more than anything, her children and grandchildren and her extended family in Arkansas. In her heart she was always a country girl from a small town in Arkansas.  She and George raised four strong, loving, independent girls, of whom she was extremely proud. She was "Nana K" to her two granddaughters and three grandsons. Her favorite thing was spending time with them, watching them play sports, having everyone together for meals, and just being together.

Over the years Barbara did bookkeeping for a few small businesses. In 1997, she took a part-time job working for Dr. Janet DuBois. Barbara eventually transitioned to full-time and became the office and billing manager. Barbara enjoyed the twenty-two years she worked for Dr. DuBois and cherished the friendship they made over their time working together. She retired in 2019 with dreams of traveling the country with George pulling their camper and visiting National Parks. However, she spent most of that time taking care of her parents as they were in their final days. Losing her only sister in 2011 was difficult for her to fathom. She and Bev were very close and raised their families together. After Bev, Barbara ended up burying her mom, Wanda Lawley Decker, stepdad Bob Decker, stepmom Jackie Chandler, and lastly her beloved daddy, Arlice Chandler. She passed away herself only four months after burying her dad. She will be forever missed by those who knew and loved her.

Barbara leaves to cherish her memory, her loving husband, George Kurachi of Austin; four daughters and two sons-in-law, Kara and Bennett Deese of High Point, North Carolina, Keisha and Michael Tillman of Leander, Texas, Kimberly Kurachi of Leander, Texas, and Kelli Kurachi of Pflugerville, Texas; her doting grandchildren, Chandler, Josiah, and Garrison of High Point, and Isabella and Hunter of Leander; five nieces and one nephew.

Memorial Services for Mrs. Barbara Kurachi will be held at 11:30 A.M., on Saturday, September 23, 2023, at Old Center Cemetery in Horatio, Arkansas. Inurnment will follow, under the direction of Chandler Funeral Home in De Queen. You may leave a condolence online at www.chandlerfuneral.com.