Barbara Boggs Whisnant

Barbara Boggs Whisnant, 83, of Salisbury, NC passed away Monday, February 17, 2025, at the Lutheran Home at Trinity Oaks. Barbara was born April 19, 1941, in Salisbury, NC to the late Garnet Aaron Boggs and Leslie Boggs. She was a 1959 graduate of North Rowan High School. She graduated with a double major in English and French from Catawba College in 1963. She earned a master’s degree in French with a minor in education from Appalachian State University in 1967. She earned a second master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in English in 1987. Barbara was a lifelong educator with a passion for teaching. She taught nearly every grade level from elementary school to high school and also taught evening classes at Salisbury Business College and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. Her teaching career spanned across Davie County Schools, Forsyth County Schools, the Rowan-Salisbury School System and North Hills Christian School. Barbara loved history, genealogy and anything having to do with steam trains. Her favorite thing was to give presentations about her grandfather, who was an original crew member of the Southern Railway’s Old 97 mail train, and how he avoided the wreck that fateful day. This allowed her to be born, as the wreck occurred before her mother’s birth. She served as a docent at the Transportation Museum in Spencer and volunteered at the Rowan History Museum. Barbara was a member of First Baptist Church of Spencer where she taught Sunday School, served as a deacon and a was member of the Trustees Committee. In 2007, she became a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School, helped with Vacation Bible School, served on the History Committee and was a member of the Ellen Bumgarner Circle. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Frank Eagle Whisnant on January 13, 2018, whom she married on June 21, 1969. Surviving are her sons, Donald E. Whisnant of Waterloo, IA; Jeffrey A. Whisnant (Jennifer) of Salisbury, NC and Kenneth E. Whisnant (Bethany) of Rockwell, NC and grandchildren: Lauren, Lindsey, Calen, Wyatt and Emma Whisnant. The family will receive friends from 6-8 PM Friday (February 21) at Summersett Funeral Home. The funeral service will be at 11 AM Saturday (February 22) at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, officiated by Rev. Dr. Mark E. Ryman. Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Capital Improvement Fund, 205 St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC 28146. Summersett Funeral Home is serving the Whisnant family. Online condolences may be made at www.summersettfuneralhome.com.

Barbara Boggs Whisnant

April 19, 1941 - February 17, 2025