Barbara Jean DuPree, 84, of Charlotte, NC, passed away on Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at Tucker Hospice House in Kannapolis, NC.

In Loving Memory of Barbara DuPree

Sunrise: December 19, 1941, Sunset: August 26, 2026

At 9:20 a.m. on August 26, 2026, our beloved mother, Barbara Jean DuPree made her heavenly transition.  The name Barbara carries the meaning “stranger” or “foreigner,” and Scripture reminds us that those who belong to Jesus Christ are “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13). Our mother was a sojourner for Jesus Christ.  Along her journey, she showed kindness, love, and compassion to others, touching lives as she traveled through this temporary home. She walked by faith, knowing that this world was not her final destination.

Scripture says, “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly ” (Hebrews 11:16). Her earthly sojourn is complete. She has gone home. If you desire to see Barbara again, the invitation of the Gospel is clear: place your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). “For our conversation is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).

Barbara was born on December 19, 1941, in Evergreen, Alabama, to Joseph and Fannie Lou Gross. Even in infancy, God’s hand was upon her life. As a child, she was cut close to the navel and, by the grace of God, did not bleed to death—an early testimony to the purpose God had for her.

She was raised for much of her childhood in a single-parent home. Her mother worked hard to provide for the family, instilling in Barbara a spirit of resilience and gratitude that stayed with her all her days.

As a young girl, Barbara excelled in school and on the basketball court. She first came to church after seeing young people participating and doing good things in the community. There, seeds were planted that would grow into something far deeper. At a young age Barbara gave her life to Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior—a decision that shaped the rest of her life.

On December 28th, 1960, Barbara married Leon DuPree and from this union three children were born: Mychelle, Lynnette, and Leon DuPree Jr. Barbara and Leon were married for 39 years and raised their family in the Rochester, New York area before divorcing. Barbara devoted herself to her children and to God.

In 1971, she became the first lady of Lilly of the Valley C.O.G.I.C., where she served as an ordained missionary and women’s Sunday school teacher. She was also honored as “First Lady of the Year.” Barbara loved the word of the lord and enjoyed teaching and discussion.

Barbara was known for her beautiful spirit and loved serving her community. She served as a Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) assisting young mothers in raising their children and spent more than 30 years as a trainer and counselor for people with intellectual disabilities.

She moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, in August 1995 to assist her daughter, Mychelle, in caring for her grandson, Joseph. While looking for a church home with her mother, she joined Greater Salem Church, where she later became a “Mother of Zion.”

Barbara gave her life in service to God and to others. Beyond the walls of the church, she was a pillar in her community, always looking for ways to help the less fortunate.

Above every title she held, Barbara loved people. She loved her family, and she loved Jesus Christ above all. Her life was a living testimony of faith, service, and love, and her legacy will continue through all whose lives she touched.

Barbara DuPree leaves to cherish her memory her daughter, Mychelle V. DuPree; her son, Leon DuPree Jr. (Lisa); her son-in-law, Charles Richardson; her grandchildren, Joseph Harvey, Aaron Dupree, Benjamin Dupree, and Caleb DuPree; her great-grandchildren, Neveah, Josette, Ezekiel, Nichole, and Zemira; her nieces, Ronda, Andrea (Wayne), and Jackie (Noel); and a host of cousins, church family members, and close friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Fannie Lou Gross, and her daughter, Lynnette DuPree-Richardson.

“Beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

Barbara has finished her course. She has kept the faith and now she has gone home to be with the Lord. She loved and served the Lord faithfully.

Rest in the Lord, Mom.

Barbara DuPree—a sojourner for Jesus Christ who showed kindness along the way and has now gone home.