Obituaries

Barbara Dowell Sifford Harden, died Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Sovah Health of Martinsville. She was born in Mt Airy, North Carolina, on Wednesday, February 9, 1944, and the date of her death was in later part of her eighty-first year. Barbara was the daughter of the late Otis Dowell and Marcella Moles Dowell Smith. Barbara was retired from Sara-Lee Knitting Company, where she worked in the packing department, and attended Fairview Baptist Church of Martinsville.

In addition to her parents, Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Rolly “Buddy” Harden, a daughter, Deborah Jordan, and her brother, Bobby Dowell. Barbara leaves to cherish her memory, her son and daughter-in-law, Timothy and Terry Sifford, her daughter, Teresa Holt, five grandchildren; James and his wife Terry Rhodes, Travis and his wife Beth Rhodes, Matthew and his wife Sierra Holt, Dylan and his wife Katye Sifford and Jennifer Sifford, six great-grandchildren; Tatumn, Jurnee, Trenadee, Slaytor, Austin, and Mekayla and a host of friends.

Her long and remarkable life would awaken the interest of the historian. She was born while Franklin D. Roosevelt was President, along with other American’s lived during the economic devastation of the Great Depression, during World War II, President Roosevelt, led Armed Forces into combat after the attack on Pearl Harbor. While Barbara was running in childish play, President Harry S. Truman, made the decision to drop the Atomic Bomb on Japan, which ended World War II. During President Dwight Eisenhower’s presidency, the Korean War ended, and he signed the Civil Right Act of 1957, at age 15, Barbara had her first child on January 24, 1959, a beautiful baby girl, who she named Deborah. At age nineteen, Barbara, on June 17, 1963, had her second child, a bouncing baby boy, who she named Timothy, during that year, Barbara, along with the rest of the United States, watched as news reports announced and aired the assignation of President John F. Kennedy, on November 11, 1963, and later that day, the swearing in of Kennedy’s Vice-President, Lyndon B. Johnson. During Johnson’s appointment to the Oval Office, he signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act that allowed equal voting rights and created the Medicare and Medicaid program, Barbara now at age twenty-three, January 9, 1967, had her third child, another beautiful baby girl, who she named Teresa. Barbara was twenty-nine, when President Richard M. Nixon, implement a policy that ended the United States involvement in the Vietnam War; established relations with China and the Soviet Union, created the Environmental Protection Act (EPA), passed the Clean Air Act, and then she watched as his resignation August 9, 1974, amid the Watergate scandal.

President Gerald R, Ford, on September 8, 1974, granted full pardon to former President Richard R. Nixon, and during his presidency the Vietnam War officially ended. Barbara now at age thirty-three, witnessed the Iran Hostage Crisis, and at the age of thirty-Five, in 1979, Mother Teresa was recognized for winning the Nobel Peace Prize and for inspiring millions though her dedication to humanitarian work and service to “The poorest of the poor”. Due to the Iran Hostage Crisis, which was during the presidency of Jimmy Carter, significantly impacted his presidency and contributed to his 1980 election defeat. Ronald Reagan became the 40th President of the United States, and Barbara, now at thirty-seven, viewed the reporter’s commentary regarding the fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany. President Reagan and his engagement with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, contributed to the end of the Cold War. He appointed the first woman to the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Conner, and in January 1986, Barbara watch on television, as he addresses the nation regarding the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger.

At age of forty-nine, Barbara watched as President Bill Clinton, defeated George H. W. Bush and became the 42nd President of the United States and his becoming the second US President to be impeached for lying about an extramarital affair with White House Intern Monica Lewinsky. He was impeached by the House of Representatives but acquitted by the Senate, so he remained in office. During the presidency of George W. Bush, Barbara stood shocked as she watched the attack on America as two commercial planes crash into the twin towers, Tuesday, September 11, 2001, and the subsequent “War on terror” which led to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Barbara along with many others though out Martinsville-Henry County struggled the financial crises that gripped the United States, during America’s first elected black President Barack Obama, who overseen the end of the Iraq War, and authorized the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

She witnessed the first woman candidate seeking the office of President, who then had served as the U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary R. Clinton and the election of America’s first non-traditional, and politically persuaded businessman, Donald J. Trump, who defeat Hillary R. Clinton, and became the 45th president of the Untied States. It was at the close of President Trump’s first term, when the United States was devastated with the COVID 19 pandemic, and as he was seeking a second term, and companied against Joseph 'Joe" Biden, then President Trump was defeated by Joseph ‘Joe” Biden, who had previously served as the Vice President to Barack Obama. President Biden, facing a medical procedure which required him to be under sedation and with his health concerns and being 82, at the time of the procedure, transferred the powers of the President to then Vice President Kamala Harris, on November 19, 2021, and she became the first woman, to serve as Commander and Chief of the United States for a total of 85 minutes. President Biden became the oldest President in US history at the time he left office. Kamala Harris, then launched her 2024, presidential campaign, against Former President Donald J. Trump, who again campaigned to serve a second term, and defeated Harris, and became our 47th President of the United States.

Eloquences has spoken and pages have told of the heroic men and women of 1945-2025, but amid the woman of those times, whose heroism is without a parallel in human history, stood Barbara Dowell Sifford Harden. Woman’s clubs and high social events were no part of her life, yet caring for her home, family, and friends, this was her mission in life. May Barbara be remembered for the life she lived, works she performed and compassion she showed to others, and allow those attributes speak for her, when nothing else can be said.

Funeral services to celebrate the life lived by Barbara will be held 1:00 P.M. Thursday, November 20, 2025, in Roselawn Chapel Funeral Home, with Pastor Dave Boarman, officiating. Interment will follow in Roselawn Burial Park, where she will be interred beside her husband, Rolly "Buddy" Harden, who preceded her in death, February 10, 2024. Family will receive friends one hour prior to service in the chapel.

Roselawn Chapel Funeral Home and Burial Park entrusted with arrangements.