Fain, Barbara

FAIN (HANCOCK),

Barbara

Barbara Hancock Fain was born on November 18, 1924, the daughter of Eugene Mills Hancock and Ruth Chastain Hancock, the youngest of seven children. Growing up in Oklahoma City, her first job was modeling clothes and included travel to the many cities where the clothes markets were held. She excelled at drama, which she majored in at the University of Oklahoma. WWII interrupted college, and she served the United States Air Force as a civilian employee as the secretary of the Chief Training Officer of the Oklahoma City Air Service Command.

Her love of drama and support of her country coalesced in one of the Commanding General's fundraising efforts for the war when she performed in the female lead in a Broadway-type musical, "I'm in Love with a Master Sergeant." During that time, she met and married the "love of her life" John Mills Fain to whom she was married for 62 years. After the war ended, she and her husband, a decorated United States Air Force Colonel, settled in Atlanta, Georgia, his hometown.

Amazingly, her husband had a life changing transformation when he invited Christ into his life. Barbara realized that she did not love the Lord with all her heart even though she prayed every night. After much turmoil in her heart, she prayed, "I would rather have you, Lord Jesus, than anything in the world."

That decision led her to introduce others to Christ through leading Bible Studies and speaking for nationwide women's retreats in conjunction with her husband's ministry across the USA and his role as the Founding Director for the Military Ministry for Campus Crusade for Christ International (now CRU). After knowing Christ for sixty years, she said, "Everyday with Jesus is sweeter than the day before."

Barbara shared her gifts for hospitality and leadership with many others throughout her life and was a daily blessing to her family and many friends. She was a gifted Bible teacher and speaker, enriching all who heard her with her keen insights on the Bible and the Christian faith.

Barbara served as President of the North Side Women's Club (General Federation of Women's Clubs), Atlanta; President, Atlanta Chapter, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge; Coordinator of Friendship Bible Coffees for Christian Women's Clubs, as well as speaker for their clubs and councils. She served as Chairman of the Council of Women for the 1973 Billy Graham Crusade, Vice President of Evangelism for the Christian Council of Metro Atlanta Churches, Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention, Prayer Chairman for the Atlanta Association of Women's Missionary Union, a member of the Board of Directors for Luther Rice Seminary, and on the National Council of Bryan College, Dayton, Tennessee. She served four years as Spiritual Life Chair for the Atlanta Chapter, Women of Vision, World Vision, USA. For 25 years, she loved teaching the BLESSINGS CLASS at Peachtree Corners Baptist Church, and she later joined the Dunwoody Baptist Church.

She held membership in the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, The Colonial Dames of America, The First Families of Georgia, and served as Chaplain of the Georgia Manakin Huguenot Society.

Barbara's biography appears in Helen Kooiman's book Silhouettes: Women Behind Great Men.

Barbara was predeceased by her husband, Col. John Mills Fain, USAF; and grandson, John Curtis Nims. She is survived by her beloved daughter, Jacqueline Fain Nims (Jerry Nims); granddaughters, Jacqueline Nims Phelan (Jeffrey Scott Phelan) and JerriDean Nims Rooker (Brian Earl Rooker); great-grandchildren, Cannon McCormick Nims Phelan, McKennah Grace Phelan, Georgia Kaitlyn Phelan, and Avalee Elizabeth Nims Rooker; and niece, Eugenia Garms Nicholson; and nephew, George Henry Garms, III.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held Monday, January 16, 2023, at 10 AM, at the Dunwoody Baptist Church Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Military Ministry of CRU and Mission India.