Barbara A. Kinchen was born on February 9, 1935 in Greenville, North Carolina. She was the daughter of Jacob and Emma (Leggett) Wiggins. At the blessed age of 82, she departed this earthly life on Thursday, December 14, 2017 at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

She accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age and baptized at Good Hope Baptist Church in Winterville, North Carolina.

Barbara was a graduate of W.H. Robinson High School - North Carolina where she enjoyed playing basketball. After moving to Baltimore, Maryland she enrolled at Morgan State College where she completed her Bachelor degree in Nursing while working at Providence Hospital.  She later gained employment with John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore where she retired as a Registered Nurse in 1998 after more than 40 years of service.

Barbara was a longtime member of the Ark Church under Bishop James L. Carter, Senior Pastor.

Barbara loved her family and enjoyed traveling to spend time with her sons and other family.  In 2008, she moved to American Canyon, California to be closer to her oldest son, Gregory.  After several visits to Fort Wayne, Indiana, she decided to make it her home in 2010.  The Lord blessed her to be under the watch-care of New Zion Tabernacle under the leadership of Bishop Crystal Bush.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, E. Maurice Hyman, Bernard “Buddy” Wiggins, Jacob “J.R.” Wiggins Jr., Marian Wiggins, Charles Wiggins and Constance “Connie” Wiggins and a daughter-in-law, Rhonda Kinchen.

Left the cherish her in memory are her beloved sons, Gregory W. (Phyllis) Jones of Sacramento, California and Robert (Diveeta) Kinchen Jr. of Fort Wayne; five grandchildren, Kristi Jones, Gregory Jones II, R. Dimitri Kinchen, Sydni N. Kinchen and Imani Miller; four great grandchildren, Marisela Jones, Kristian Jones, Jaden Hoffman and Bryce Hoffman; two sisters, Iris (Ernest) McFadden and Carolyn (Larry) Hopkins and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, god-children and friends.

In lieu of flowers, family requests memorials be sent in care of  Ellis Funeral Home.

Mother Kinchen will be laid to rest in Maryland National Memorial Park in Laurel, Maryland following The Homegoing Celebration  on Saturday, December 30, 2017 at the Ark Church in Baltimore, Maryland.

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