Winnie Mae Sanders Barfield

Winnie Mae Barfield, 85, passed away peacefully on February 4, 2026, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She was a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother, and a woman of deep faith who cherished her family above all.

Born March 16, 1940, in Clayton, North Carolina, she was the daughter of the late Anthony R. Sanders and Mary Sanders Vinson. She graduated from Johnston County Training School in 1959 and attended Fayetteville State Teachers College. As the wife of military veteran Jonathan Barfield, she embraced military life and travel while supporting her family. She worked as a childcare provider, later as a retail store manager, and volunteered as a Girl Scout troop leader. She was known for her style, sewing talents, love of decorating, music, and creating warm holiday gatherings.

She is survived by her husband, Jonathan Barfield; daughter, Jennifer Smithson (John); granddaughter, Jaelynn Smithson; sisters, Carolyn Sanders and Lucy Sanders; sister-in-law, Margaret Sampson; cherished friends Marilyn and Thomas Bell; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Patsy Pittman and Mary Hobbs Wall; and brothers, James A. Sanders, Robert R. Sanders, Melvin Sanders, Thelbert Sanders, George Sanders, Leroy Sampson, Ronald Sanders, and Curtis Sanders.