Barbara Ginn Jennings

BROWNSVILLE, TX. – Barbara Ginn Jennings entered into eternal rest on Saturday, the 4th of February 2023, at Sunshine Haven in Olmito, Texas with her daughter by her side. She was eighty-nine years of age.  Barbara was born in Houston, Texas on September 7, 1933, the daughter of the late John Henry Ginn, Jr. and Margaret Martin Ginn.

She was the most loving mother, daughter, sister, and loyal friend. She touched many lives in the community with her charisma, indomitable spirit, infectious laugh, and smile. She loved life and brought light into every room she entered.

Barbara’s family lived on eastern Boca Chica in a home built by her father. She enjoyed a wonderful childhood in post-war Brownsville and often reminisced about attending the firing of the cannon at Fort Brown with her brother and riding her horse in the Charro Days Parade. As a teenager, she would often ride her horse into town with her friends on Saturdays to eat at Den Russ.

She attended grammar school at Sacred Heart and graduated from Brownsville High School in 1949. Later, she graduated from The University of Texas at Brownsville, receiving her Master of Arts in ESL. She taught ESL to many students from Mexico, and they greatly benefited from her extraordinary teaching.

Barbara was the school secretary at Porter High School where she was always willing and happy to help the students and faculty. She impacted many lives during her years there.

As a Development Officer, at The University of Texas at Brownsville, Barbara will be best remembered for her commitment to the hundreds of students who benefited from the endowments and scholarships she helped create. She worked closely with families and organizations to establish many of the current scholarship endowments including the most sizable nursing scholarship ever received to date.

She also worked tirelessly as the Chair of “Symphony in the Park” for three years benefiting the Brownsville Literacy Center.

Preceding Barbara in death was her infant son, William Lafayette Jennings; her parents, John Henry Ginn, Jr. and Margaret Martin Ginn; her brother, Charles Martin Ginn; and her nephew, John Henry Ginn IV.

Left behind to cherish her memory is her daughter, Margaret “Bitsie” Rubí (Jose Manuel Rubí +); her brother, John Henry Ginn III (Junita Mauldin); and her nephews Craig Ginn, Marty Ginn, and Eric Stoneking.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, the 16th of February 2023 between the hours of six o’clock in the evening and eight o'clock at night, with the recitation of the holy rosary to begin at seven o'clock Thursday evening within the East Chapel of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at one o'clock in the afternoon on Friday, the 17th of February 2023 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 602 E. Elizabeth Street, Brownsville. The family will have gathered for a private committal service at Buena Vista Burial Park.

Honored to be serving as her pallbearers are Craig Ginn, Bob Torres, William Putegnat, Bill Haugeberg, Alberto Juarez, George Truan, Tomás Esteve, and Xavier Montemayor.

Honorary pallbearers are Arnold Aguilar, Ernie Tijerina, Jimmy John, John Patriarca, Carl Oakley, Cooki Covarrubias, Zeke Silva, Jose Maria “Chema” Martinez, Alan Duval, and Andrew Puckett.

The family would like to thank the nurses at Valley Regional Medical Center and Valley Baptist Medical Center for their exceptional care with special thanks to the incredible staff of Sunshine Haven.

A special thanks to Maria Casiano and Elizabeth Avalos for taking such good care of Barbara.

The family requests memorial contributions be made to the UTRGV Lower Rio Grande Valley Nursing Scholarship and the Joseph R. Lacher Endowment Scholarship for Nursing at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Division of Institutional Advancement, 701 E. Expressway 83, Box #13, McAllen, Texas 78501. Gifts can be made online at give.utrgv.edu.

Memories of Barbara may be shared at www.darlingmouser.com.

Personalized funeral arrangements directed by Steven R. Hieu Bailey and Staff have been entrusted to the care of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home at 945 Palm Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas 78520, (956) 546-7111 .