Dr. Marsha Barber
Dr. Marsha Barber is the found-
er and was chief administrator
of Trinity Christian Academy.
She is now retired.
after 20 years at Trinity Christian
Academy.
PCT: What is your favorite novel?
MB: Anything by John Grisham,
James Patterson, Sue Grafton, Patricia
Cornwall.
PCT: What do you do to decompress?
MB: Read ... and use my iPad way
too much.
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PCT: How did you get into your
occupation?
MB: As long as I can remember I
wanted to be a teacher. In junior
high, I was a member of Future
Teachers of America and in fact was
named Outstanding Future Teacher
of America in 9th grade. After gradu-
ating from Memorial High School in
Houston, I pursued an undergradu-
ate degree at TCU in Elementary
Education with a Kindergarten
Endorsement. I taught in public
schools for 18 years during which
time I earned a Master’s Degree in
Curriculum and Instruction with an
Emphasis in Language, Literature
and Reading from the University of
Houston. In 1993, I was given the
opportunity to start a Christian school
with 10 students in two borrowed
classrooms. God’s timing was perfect,
as always, and the Aledo/Willow
Park area was coming into a time
of growth. The school grew quickly
and now has over 525 students on
a $15-plus- million-dollar campus.
Because I was coming from public
school to Christian education and
because I had never been an admin-
istrator, (God can use anyone!) I
earned a doctorate in Educational
Administration with an Emphasis in
Christian Education. I retired in 2013
PCT: What is something people don’t
know about you?
MB: I ran off and got married at the
end of my freshman year of college,
had my first child at the end of my
sophomore year of college (finished
the semester on Friday, went to the
hospital on Monday) and was preg-
nant with my second child when I
did my student teaching and gradu-
ated. I was the first person in my
family to go to college and thankfully
my dad continued to pay for TCU
after I got married. Forty-eight years
of marriage under our belt!
PCT: What would you most like to be
remembered for?
MB: Building Trinity Christian
Academy into a God-honoring
educational facility that will leave
a legacy far beyond what any of us
could imagine.
for education in a college prep
school with high academics, athletic
programs and arts programs while
maintaining a Christian worldview.
We prepare our students for a lifetime
of making our world a better place.
PCT: What is your definition of the
best day ever?
MB: My most memorable day was
when we went to Colorado for my
son’s college graduation and spent
a day on Mt. Evans. Because of
the high wind, I did not want to go
rappelling that day so my son built a
fire, I curled up with a blanket, read
my Bible and watched the snow-
flakes.
PCT: What’s the best piece of advice
you would give?
MB: “It might not work” is not
enough of a reason not to try.
PCT: What is the coolest thing you
have ever done in your life?
MB: Cruise to Alaska with white
water rafting.
Kathryn Lammers
Kathryn is the owner of the
Swim Lesson People.
PCT: If you could have lunch with
any one in history, living or dead,
who would it be?
MB: Jesus. What questions I would
have! But I know when I walk into
heaven my first words will be “Of
course!” My answers will all be
revealed. I won’t even have to ask.
PCT: If you had to do another job
other than what you’re doing, what
would you do?
MB: Volunteer work with organiza-
tions I believe in. I am on the board
of Grace House Ministries and the
Fellowship of Christian Athletes at
TCU. I am glad now to finally have
time to serve.
PCT: What is your impact to Parker
County?
MB: I think TCA changed the land-
scape of Eastern Parker County. We
have provided an affordable option
PCT: How did you get into your
occupation?
KL: I started teaching swim lessons
as a summer job at a local camp
and fell in love with working with
kids. That summer job led me
to my local YMCA and years in
recreational programming. I also
started volunteering with different
organizations to educate about water
safety, and was connected with Safe
Kids Tarrant County. After years of