Barnstable Brown Derby Gala co-founder dies at 94

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) — Wilma Lee “Willie” Haverly Barnstable, a mother, philanthropist and retired teacher who raised over $17 million for the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center, has died. She was 94.

Barnstable is one of the women behind the Barnstable Brown Derby Gala, a black-tie Kentucky Derby gala that benefits the Barnstable Brown Diabetes and Obesity Research Center at the University of Kentucky.

She loved to travel and she loved the Kentucky Wildcats, according to her obituary. She began attending Final Fours in 1948 when her future husband, Dale Barnstable, played for Coach Rupp. And after watching Midnight Madness last Friday, she said that “UK has some great shooters and I like our chances.”

At 16, she boarded a train to Lexington and enrolled at UK. After graduating, she married, had four children, began her teaching career and along the way obtained multiple master’s degrees.

Barnstable’s visitation is set for Sunday, Nov. 6 at Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church in Lexington at 1 p.m. followed by a brief service at 2. Donations may be sent in her honor to:

Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center
UK Healthcare
PO Box 34184
Lexington, Kentucky 40588