Barbara Mullen Gildersleeve

Barbara Mullen Gildersleeve died on March 5, 2025 at age 85.

 

Growing up in Gadsden, Alabama, she roamed the woods, trained and showed dogs, rode horses, and excelled in school. She received an R.N. at Vanderbilt University and later served as a steadfast caregiver to those who preceded her in death: parents Todd and Grace Mullen, husband Ed Gildersleeve, Jr., longtime partner Jerry Campbell, and son Gordon Gildersleeve.

 

In middle age, she created an idyllic environment for her children and later traveled countless thousands of miles to visit her grandkids. She was generous, supportive, and forgiving, but did set high expectations.

 

She was a nature-lover, a horse-dog-and-cat person, an artist, a gardener, an avid fisher, a voracious reader, an early practitioner of yoga, a master of Boggle and Scrabble, and a big fan of bourbon. 

 

As her health declined, she was uncommonly good at accepting care herself after a lifetime of tending to others. She maintained an air of grace and dignity but increasingly sported a gentle but wry sense of humor. She continued loving the out-of-doors (rain, snow, or shine), horse racing, chocolate ice cream, John Prine, and nightly whiskey until nearly the very end.

 

She is survived by her son, Roger F. Gildersleeve, daughter-in-law Lilian R. Peake, grandchildren Rachel A. Gildersleeve and Ryan G. Mancuso, and very cute great-grand-children Charles and Cabell Mancuso.