Barbara Gayle Reitzell

Funeral services for Barbara Gayle Reitzell, age 86 of Columbia will be held 3:00PM, Sunday, January 11, 2026, from the chapel of Riser and Son Funeral Home with Bro. Randy Rentz officiating and Ronnie Darden assisting. Interment will follow in the Columbia Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at the Columbia Methodist Church from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM. 

Barbara was born September 20, 1939, in Columbia, Louisiana to the union of her parents, Shady Barfield and Chloe Curry Barfield, and passed from this life January 8, 2026, at her residence surrounded by her loved ones. A life long resident of Caldwell Parish, Miss Barbara was known and loved by everyone. She opened a dress shop in downtown Columbia, it was the go to place for women and children for 32 years. After she retired in 2000, she enjoyed a full and active life. She was a founding member of the Caldwell Parish Country Club, where she was an avid golfer. She was on the course weekly and played until she was eighty-five years old. Barbara's husband, Hoot was the love of her life. They were married for fifty-six years until he passed away in 2014. They combined their love of golf, travel, friends, and family. 

Barbara is survived by her son, Steve Reitzell (Peggy); daughters, Debbie Hatten and Nell Poole (Donnie); sister, Roxie Collinsworth;  grandchildren: Gabe, Neely, Zach, Jay, and Mac; great-grandchildren: Bryan Michael, Tristan, Hudson, Noah, Aiden, Conner, Gracie, Zaine, and Lena; and two great-great-grandchildren, Jackson and Tate. 

Everyone has a special friend and Barbara's was Karen Cruse. They were partners in crime and had many adventures that we will not share! She was blessed with a very special niece, Jennifer Evangelista who put her life on hold to help take care of Barbara for this past year, which was done strictly out of love.

Pallbearers include Wesley Pace, Phillip Pace, Graves Erskine, Mike Choate, Jamey May, and Chuck Cruse. Honorary pallbearers will include Brian Frazier, Ashley Thomas, Dolph Erskine, Dale Powell, and Bryan Michael Rachal.