On Thursday September 29, 2022 the Lord asked Barbara to come home! He said: “Leave all your suffering behind. For over eight years you fought that devil Cancer, now it’s time to join your family here. I took your daughter last year and she missed you.”
The immediate family you leave behind are your husband, Frank Lee and your four sisters: Diane Sears, Patricia Thompson, Theresa Teisch, and Christine Mazzarese. As a member of a large family, Barb leaves behind many to cherish her memory, including aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends from all over the country and a special childhood friend, Denise Moran.
You always were a classy lady, you carried yourself like royalty. Never unkind to anyone, you always displayed a great big smile. There were times you were hurting but no one knew! You would share your joy but not your pain!
Barb was born in Jersey City but had deep roots in Johnstown Pennsylvania. Your family was very close and they still are today, This will be a great loss for them, as well. While still in New Jersey you met and married Frank. Now, after fifty-one years together, you have moved on without him. Barb and Frank had one daughter, Jennifer. We lost her one year ago and you are both together again.
You said you liked it warm so we all moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. It still wasn’t warm enough! So; After five years in New Mexico, we moved to Waco Texas and then to Dallas where we lived for twenty years.
While in Dallas, you found the artist in you by taking up Photography. You became the Mercedes Benz Club photographer. Some of your pictures were of road trips that wound up in the MB magazine. Your love of Photography triggered your desire to travel. You enjoyed seeing most of Europe. You saw the Eiffel Tower as well as most of Italy including Venice, Rome, the Vatican and even the Leaning Tower of Pisa (before they fixed it). We had some great cruises. The Mediterranean cruise was wonderful, you got to see many different countries like Turkey and Greece. You drank Sangria on our balcony, while sailing from country to country. You really enjoyed seeing the Panama Canal after it was widened. Your father saw the Canal in WWII and you always wanted to see it, too. While in Dallas, somehow you found the time to do some country dancing. You made friends so easily. Those Texas folks did love you: they will be sad when they learn you won’t be dancing anymore.
Your next move was to Tallahassee, Florida. You retired there from Tallahassee Memorial. You moved to Mexico Beach where our neighbors introduced us to golf carts and boating. You did this overcoming your fear of water. While at Mexico Beach, you had a premonition that we should move out of Mexico Beach, and we did. Two years later Hurricane Matthew hit. The destruction was unbelievable.
Moving to New Smyrna Beach felt right. Finally, it was warm enough. Your new doctors were optimistic and your health seemed to improve. Even though we went through three hurricanes, we were OK. The house was beautiful, well built and we met so many new friends, we were busy all the time.
0ur story has not ended, some day we will meet again!
A visitation for Barbara will be held Tuesday, October 11, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Robert Toale and Sons Funeral Home at Manasota Memorial Park, 1221 53rd Ave East, Bradenton, FL 34203.
Funeral service for Barbara will be Wednesday at 11:00 AM at the funeral home followed by a committal service at 1:30 PM at Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Rd 72, Sarasota, FL 34241.
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