Faye Williams Barksdale – Obituary

February 15, 1941 – November 12, 2023

Fort Worth, Texas – Faye Barksdale passed away Sunday, November 12, surrounded by her loving family.

Faye graduated from I.M. Terrell High School in 1959, and attended North Texas State College. She was married to the love of her life, Maurice Barksdale, for over 67 years. Their union witnessed countless personal, professional achievements and successes, and took them and their young family across the country as they built their careers.

She supported Maurice as he served in the United States Navy in San Diego; in New York, as he built his mortgage banking career on Wall Street; in Atlanta, where he served as an executive officer for Citizen’s Trust Bank; and in Washington, where he served as the Federal Housing Commissioner. Faye was dually accomplishing her career which began with American Airlines in 1964, retiring in 2002. She went on to become a long time Fort Worth Business owner and serial entrepreneur. She and her husband built the Fort Worth based HMB Development Corporation, a mortgage banking and property management company that spanned more than 40 years.

They owned and operated several commercial and residential properties, including one of the largest multi-family apartment complexes in the country, located in Fort Worth, Texas. She also owned and operated Brian’s Hair design and HMB Travel Agency, known for its many travel and fashion shows held in the 70’s at the Aquarium Supper Club – located in the Historic Evans Avenue area.

Her passion for community and people were deep and proven. Mrs. Barksdale was a mentor to nearly everyone she knew, and she sponsored the first Ms. Black Teenage America Pageant for local teenagers in Fort Worth in 1971, which advanced the local Texas winner to the overall National Title in its inaugural year.

She was appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the State of Texas Judicial Review Board, Charter member of the Greater Fort Worth Area Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, Platinum member of The Links, Incorporated (Mid-Cities Texas Chapter), member of The Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex Chapter – Chums, Incorporated, member of Morningside United Methodist Church and was recently recognized and inducted into the Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society.