Barbara Sue Denton, 90, of Bethalto, IL formerly of Natural Bridge AL, passed away
peacefully surrounded by her children on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at 4:24 P.M. She was born
January 19,1933, in Fayette County, Alabama to William Marcus and Ira Jesse (Wilson) Blackwell.
Barbara graduated from Walker County High School in Jasper, AL. In her senior year, she was
voted “Most Likely to Succeed.” She married Jimmie Carroll Denton on April 4,1953, in West Jasper, Alabama, and they were married for nearly 65 years before he passed away on January 22, 2018.
Barbara was a devoted and loving wife, a mother who was blessed with ten children,
and a grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother to over 100. She was a
wonderful cook and provided meals for her family and many others.
Barbara loved the beauty of nature, especially trees and flowers. All of her life she
loved researching Native American Indian and Cherokee history, as well as her family’s
genealogy. Throughout her years, she loved rocking babies and enjoyed singing with her
children and her grandchildren, playing Bingo, putting puzzles together, crocheting, collecting
rocks, reading, and crossword puzzles. Barbara sold real estate for Century 21 and was a
school board member in the Edwardsville School District in the past. She was a member of
the First Southern Baptist Church in Meadowbrook, IL and a forty-nine-year member of the
Gillespie/Bunker Hill Chapter of Eastern Star.
Barbara and Jimmie purchased the Natural Bridge Park in Alabama in 1980, and owned the business for almost forty-four years. Barbara was a board member of the Christian’s Place Mission in Nauvoo, Alabama. She supported the church’s mission of serving local residents with food, clothes and spiritual guidance.
Barbara is survived by her nine children and their spouses, Deborah and Patrick Drew
of Moro, Jimmie and Janie Denton of Palmer, Alaska, Dennis and Susan Denton of Natural
Bridge, Alabama, Jeffrey Denton of Moro, Deanna and Gordon Voliva of Pocahontas, Daphne
and Bob Gvillo of Fosterburg, David and Lori Denton of Granite City, Jessica and Wally Peal
of Bethalto and Doris Dake of Logan, Alabama; twenty-nine grandchildren, seventy-two great-
grandchildren, and twenty great-great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Betty Denton of Cairo,
Missouri; several nieces and nephews; other extended family and friends.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a daughter and son-in-
law, Donna and Ricky Zook, a granddaughter Abby Gail Partridge; a son-in-law, Barry Dake;
her three brothers Ralph, Scott, and Andy Blackwell; two sisters, Lydia Blackwell Sparks and
Betty Ruth Blackwell; her brother-in-law, Francis “Tom” Denton, and two sisters-in-law, Minnie
(Denton) Retzer and Janice Sue (Denton) Carpunky.
Our family would like to extend our gratitude to Promedica Hospice for their services. A
special thank you to nurses Amy and Lora, Janet, and Denise for their abounding love and
care for our Mother, as well as, Mother’s special care companion, Iva Lee Butler.
In celebration of her life, visitation will be at Pitchford Funeral Home, 2555 Vaughn Road in
Wood River, Illinois on Sunday, August 27, 2023, from 3:00 p.m. until time of a service at 6:00
p.m. Visitation will continue at Pinkard Funeral Home, 1308 21 st Street in Haleyville, Alabama
on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. until time of funeral service at 12:00 noon.
Burial will follow at the Walker Memory Gardens in Jasper, AL. Memorials may be made to
Christian’s Place Mission, P.O. Box 365, Nauvoo, AL, 35578, and may be accepted at the
funeral home. Irwin Chapel of Granite City in charge of arrangements. www.irwinchapel.com
