Funeral services celebrating the life of Barbara Fay Paul Ross, 86, will be held at 11:00 A.M., Friday, September 18, 2026, at Mangham Methodist Church with Reverend Jimmy Wilkins officiating. Burial will be at Gwin Memorial Cemetery in Mangham, Louisiana, under direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home.

The visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M., Thursday, September 17, 2026, at Mulhearn Funeral Home in Rayville, Louisiana.

Barbara Fay Paul Ross, 86, of Mangham, Louisiana, passed away in the early morning of Wednesday, September 9, 2026. She died at her daughter’s home in Baton Rouge, after a year and a half battle with cancer, with her daughters by her side.

Barbara, fondly known as Bobbie, was born on February 3, 1940, in Pineville, Louisiana. She grew up in Simmesport, Louisiana, which is where she met the love of her life, Max Ross. After graduation they married and, due to his Air Force station, moved to Okinawa, Japan, then Ft Lee, Virginia, then Montgomery, Alabama, then Tacoma, Washington. They finally settled in Mangham, Louisiana, her husband’s hometown, where they raised their family and lived the remainder of their 51 years together.

Bobbie was a strong woman of faith, a devoted member of the Mangham Methodist Church, attending every Sunday. She loved her church family. She followed on-line church services once she became sick and was unable to attend in person. She so enjoyed the fellowship she shared with her women’s Bible study group, The Golden Hearts.

She loved her family deeply and unconditionally. She was a devoted mother to her four children, an adoring Nana to her nine grandchildren, and sixteen great grandchildren, always present in their lives. Never missing a birth, a birthday party, a sporting event, a dance recital, a concert, a graduation from high school, college and grad school, a wedding, a religious event: anything of importance, she was there.

Once she became a grandmother, she spent many hours at her sewing machine, making maternity clothes, baby clothes, blankets, Halloween costumes, Christmas stockings, and many other things.

One of her greatest joys was spending time at the beach with her family. Early morning walks with coffee looking for seashells, playing bingo at the Florabama, playing board games at night, and always a puzzle being worked on by everybody. She treasured those memories. She loved to work in her flower beds, she loved to read, to do puzzles, to travel, to watch game shows and she loved LSU football and baseball. Most of all, it was so important for her family to try to all be together for holidays and the annual beach trip. Her love for her family was boundless.

Bobbie is preceded in death by her husband, Robert Max Ross of Mangham, Louisiana; parents, Levi Steve Paul and Hazel Greene Paul of Simmesport, Louisiana; sister, Juanita Paul Spears and husband, Carl Dewey of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and niece, Paula Spears Broussard of Lafayette, Louisiana.

Those left to cherish her memory are her daughters, Cathy Ross Mitchell and husband, Pat of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Tricia Ross Guidry and husband, Ricky of Lake Charles, Louisiana; Christy Ross Maier of Montgomery, Alabama; Ken Ross and wife, Lottie Fields Ross of Covington, Louisiana; grandchildren, Emily Mitchell Holleman and husband, John of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Kelly Mitchell and wife, Lindsey Arabie Mitchell of New Orleans, Louisiana; Sara Guidry Morthland and husband, Geoff of Frisco, Texas; Kelsey Guidry Jones and husband, Jeff of Lake Charles, Louisiana; Anna Guidry and fiancée, Carter St. Mary of New Orleans, Louisiana; Haley Maier Mann and Clint Mann of Montgomery, Alabama; Joseph Maier and fiancée, Andrea Baxter of Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah Ross and partner, Cody Tujague of Houma, Louisiana; Noah Ross of Covington, Louisiana; great grandchildren, Eleanor, Jack, Wilton and Mary Louise Holleman; Patrick, Vivienne and Maeve Mitchell; Ellery, Madeline and Lillian Morthland; Tripp and Emmie Jones; Cooper, Delaney and Lawson Mann, Riven Tujague; sister Shirley Bell and husband Dickey of Alexandria, Louisiana; and numerous nieces and nephews who held a very special place in her heart.

Pallbearers will be Kelly Mitchell, Joseph Maier, Noah Ross, Geoff Morthland, John Holleman, Jeff Jones and Clint Mann.