Barbara Sue Fleetwood

Barbara Fleetwood was welcomed into Heaven by her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ early Thursday morning, March 19, 2026. She was born in Danville, Illinois, to Clarence and Hazel Holycross on November 20, 1933.

Barbara, known to her many friends as Barb, married the love of her life, Ted Fleetwood, on July 20, 1952, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Together, they raised three children, Michael, Melinda, and Mark. During the early years of their life together, they moved frequently – residing in Buffalo, NY, St. Louis, Mo, and South Bend, In, before finally returning for good to Indianapolis, In, in 1967. Barb had a knack for making friends wherever she went – having life-long friends from Buffalo, St. Louis and South Bend. She even continued this trend at the end of her life, making good friends in the short time that she lived at Woodland Terrace of New Palestine.

Barb’s priorities were faith and family. She was devoted to her husband Ted, and worked as a stay at home mom while raising her kids, It was only after they were older and past their formative years that she worked part-time as a lighting specialist at Exciting Lighting in Indianapolis. But her real passion was her faith, and her family. She was an active member of Burge Terrace Baptist Church, and then Franklin Road Baptist Church. She was more that just a Sunday morning attender – faithfully attending Sunday evening services, Wednesday evening services, and Ladies Bible Studies, almost up to the end of her life. She also was faithful in serving her family and making sure that holidays were celebrated in a traditional, festive way. She made sure her family celebrated with her -If any of her children missed celebrating Christmas, Easter, the Fourth of July, or her birthday, they had better have a very good excuse.

Later in life, she and Ted took up part-time residence in Ft. Myers Florida, where she loved the beach, the sunny climate, and collecting shells. Spring ,summer and fall (remember, she couldn’t miss celebrating Thanksgiving or Christmas with her family) were spent in Indianapolis, then with the New Year, it was off to Ft. Myers for a few months of enjoyment in sunny Florida.

With the death of her beloved husband, Ted, in 2012, the trips to Florida also came to an end. However, a new chapter of life was beginning for her – that as a Great-Grandma. Beginning in 2010 and ending in 2026, she had the joy of welcoming 12 great-grandchildren into this world. She embraced the arrival of each one with joy and gladness.

In the early morning of March 19, 2026, however, her earthly body finally wore out and she graduated to heaven. She was preceded in death by both of her parents, by her husband Ted, and by her brother Joe W Holycross. She is survived by a large family – Michael (Elaine) Fleetwood, Melinda (Tim) Tuttle, and Mark Fleetwood; nine grandchildren, David (Andrea) Fleetwood, Katie (Brett) Fowler, Jonathan (Rebekah) Fleetwood, Jill (Stephen) Cady, Luke Tuttle, Roman (Olivia) Fleetwood, Gabrielle Fleetwood, Cole (Madi) Fleetwood, and Maria Fleetwood. And, bringing up the rear, too many great-grandchildren to be named!

Please join us in celebrating her life – a race well run. Services will be held at Franklin Road Baptist Church in Indianapolis, on Tuesday, March 24. Visitation will be from 12 noon until 1:00 P.M., and her funeral service will be at 1:00 P.M. Her entombment will be at 3:00 P.M. at Washington Park Cemetery in Indianapolis.