Barbara Stunz and her late husband, Winston, believed in the vision of Liberty University founder Dr. Jerry Falwell, and their gifts have helped the school carry out its original mission, Training Champions for Christ, for over 50 years.
The couple met in 1946 in Centralia, Ill., when they were both at the post office picking up mail for their jobs. They dated for two and a half months before marrying. They eventually moved to Wichita, Kan., to the home where Barbara still lives after 70 years. They have one daughter, three granddaughters, and seven great-grandchildren. Winston retired after a 37-year career with Gulf Oil. The Stunzes had been married for 63 years when Winston passed away in 2010. At 103, Barbara still drives herself short distances and enjoys being an active member of her community through a prayer ministry that she started with a friend.
Barbara said it was her husband who first heard about Liberty in the early 1970s through a TV broadcast from Thomas Road Baptist Church, where Falwell was the pastor. During the church service, Falwell spoke about his vision for a Christian university that would raise up Champions for Christ. Excited, Winston told her about Falwell’s message.
“His vision for the school was so great,” Barbara said. “We just felt that God was leading us to this, and we should be part of it.”
The couple started donating to Liberty after that — and they never stopped. They had seen Falwell preach at some churches in Wichita, but in 1981, they were traveling in a motorhome visiting historical battlefields when they decided to visit campus. They met Falwell after attending a service at TRBC.
“The service ended, and afterward we got to shake hands with Jerry Falwell. We attended a film there and got to tour where they did the television filming,” she said. “(Falwell) was wonderful. We were so impressed with him. That was a wonderful, wonderful day to be able to attend the church service.”
Barbara still has Falwell’s autograph from that day.
In 1983, the Stunzes visited Liberty again, but the campsite they had stayed at previously was closed. Liberty’s administration allowed them to park their motorhome on campus and enjoy some of the campus activities and events.
While Barbara and Winston never visited Liberty again, she keeps up with the school by reading the “Liberty Journal” and having regular phone calls and visits with Wyatt Wilson, Liberty’s director of planned giving. Wilson noted the immense trust in God that Barbara and Winston had in the very beginning, believing that He would fulfill Falwell’s vision on Liberty Mountain before there were any buildings on campus.
“For someone to step out and support something that does not even exist, that’s faith,” Wilson said. “It’s important for our students to realize this school didn’t just happen. There’s value, especially for the younger generation, to see that this goes back many, many years ago of people sowing into a vision.”
Barbara said prayer is one of the most important aspects of her life, and she started a prayer ministry in her hometown with her friend, Dorothy Bryan, who has since passed away.
“We all have a purpose in life, and I think my purpose is to be a prayer warrior,” Barbara said. “I pray for Liberty, and I pray for President Costin and Chancellor Falwell every day.”
Barbara has included Liberty University in her estate plans so she and her late husband’s legacy will continue at Liberty and more students can receive a Christian education and go out into the world to impact their communities for the Gospel.
“When we went there in 1981, we drove around to see the dorms they had at the time and the classrooms. Now, when I get the ‘Liberty Journal,’ I just can’t hardly imagine what it must look like,” she said. “The Lord has blessed (Liberty) in such a great way; Jerry Falwell had such a vision, and the Lord had such a vision for the university. It’s been great for us to have interest in that and to see all that has been going on.”
