Barbara Smola

Barbara Jean Smola was born Aug. 11, 1941, in Kingfisher to Dona Jean Brown and Cecil Nicholas Schoelen. Beloved grandparents were Charles and Anna Brown and Jacob and Elizabeth Schoelen, all of Kingfisher.

Barbara passed away in her home with her family present on Oct. 8, 2025, after a long battle with breast cancer.

Growing up on a family farm northeast of Kingfisher, Barbara and her sisters were integral to the success of the family farm, which had a huge impact on the journey of her life.

She was the oldest of six daughters in her family. Sisters include Cecila, Betty, Lillian Kaye, Ruth and Janice.

Barbara attended Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School and Kingfisher High School. She graduated in 1959 and was celebrated as only the second student to receive all three outstanding honors for scholarship and citizenship.

After high school, she enrolled in St. Anthony School of Nursing in Oklahoma City and graduated with honors in 1962.

On Sept. 1, 1962, she married S. Steven Smola in Kingfisher.

They established their family in Watonga and raised six children: Brenda, Marilyn, Shelly, Christopher, Angela and Michael.

While raising a large active family, she worked as an RN at the Watonga Hospital and director of the local nursing home.

In 1979 she opened her first clothing retail shop, which she continued to operate for the next 40-plus years. She had shops in Watonga, Kingfisher, Mustang and later in Oklahoma City.

Her last location was Barbara’s in North Park Mall, which closed in August 2025.

During her years in Watonga, she made history as the first woman elected to the city council. In that role, Barbara served on the police and hospital committees and took a leading hand in city beautification and park development projects.

Beyond her civic work, she founded the March of Dimes effort in western Oklahoma and remained deeply engaged in community building throughout her life.

She contributed to the Watonga Main Street Initiative. In northwestern Oklahoma, she also assisted in the building of the Youth for Understanding Exchange Program, coordinating student exchange hosting that connected young people across cultures and communities.

She continued this work later in life as well through the Oklahoma City University, English as Second Language Learning Program, hosting over 45 exchange students.

Upon retirement, she and her husband moved to Oklahoma City in 2001.

Barbara completed her Master Gardener’s Certificate that fueled her passion for plants and flowers.

In her high-spirited style, Barbara maintained that her main “claim to fame” was her fabulous children and their families, her many friends – and that she hunted and killed a bear and got her license to fly a plane.

Preceding her in death were her grandparents, parents, sisters Lillian Kaye Fife and Cecilia Massey and son Christopher Smola.

She is survived by her children Brenda Smola-Foti and husband Frank, Marilyn Greene and husband Colin, Shelly Smola-Scudder and husband Perrin, Dr. Angie Shepardson and husband Jason, Michael Smola and wife Julie; her 10 grandchildren Daniel Harper, Katherine Harper, Brennan Shepardson, Colby Shepardson, Nathan Foti, Ben Smola, Grace Smola, Caroline Smola, Tess Greene and Eva Greene.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 5024 N. Grove Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73122.

A Rosary service will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Oklahoma City.

A private interment will be held at the Kingfisher Cemetery.

Online condolences may be signed at www.yandafuneral. com. Arrangements are under the direction of Yanda & Son Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Yukon.