Barbara Clements Staples, 74, of Albemarle County, Virginia, died on Saturday, November 24, 2012, at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

Barbara was born on October 4, 1938, in Albemarle County, Virginia, the daughter of Frank and Ruth Clements (later Ruth Raiford). Barbara was preceded in death by her father and mother; and by two brothers, Otis and Gene.

Barbara was born in Albemarle County, Virginia. She grew up here, graduating from Albemarle High School. She and Kenneth Staples were married in January of 1958 and together created a home here in the Charlottesville area, raising their three children, Chip, Beth, and Jo.

Barbara gave her time to creating a wonderful extended family, encompassing her own family and other relatives and friends needing love and support, as well as creating her own business, Staples Bookkeeping Service, through which she offered bookkeeping support to Charlottesville-area businesses for many years. In her later life, she continued offering her own help to those she saw as more in need than she was: at the dialysis center, at physical therapy, and anywhere that she saw an opportunity to offer of herself to make someone's life better. She will be greatly missed.

Barbara is survived by her husband of 54 years, Kenneth A. Staples of Albemarle County, Virginia; three children, a daughter, Jo Leidemer and her husband, Martin, of Dunn Loring, Virginia; a daughter, Beth Barber and her boyfriend, Kevin, of Charlottesville, Virginia; and a son, Chip Staples of Fluvanna County, Virginia; two granddaughters, Ellie Barber and Elizabeth Barber, both of Charlottesville, Virginia; one sister, Joyce Glave of Charlottesville, Virginia; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and other family throughout the central Virginia area.

Barbara's family would like to offer a special thank you to the people at Home Instead for their companionship during the last part of her life. Barbara's family will be receiving friends and family at Hill and Wood Funeral Home from 6 until 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 27, 2012.

Her funeral will be held at First Baptist Church on Park Street in Charlottesville, 2 p.m. Wednesday, November 28, 2012, with interment to follow at Riverview Cemetery in Charlottesville. The Reverend Joel Jenkins will be conducting the services.

In lieu of flowers, Barbara's family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Senior Center of Charlottesville www.seniorcenterinc.org, the American Diabetes Associationdonate.diabetes.org, or to the local equine-rescue agency Hopes' Legacy www.hopeslegacy.com. Friends may send condolences to the family at www.hillandwood.com.