Barbara Louise Quarles

Barbara Louise Quarles passed from death into eternal life on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at the Hospice House of Spokane, Washington. Barbara was born on March 8, 1930, to Isaac Jeremiah Webb and Alberta Webb in New Rochelle, New York. She lived for eighty years.

Growing up, Barbara Louise excelled in school; she had both beauty and brains. Upon graduation from high school, she became class valedictorian. She then attended Hampton University in Virginia where she met George. At Hampton, she served as President of the Women’s Senate, was the Homecoming Queen, a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and graduated with honors. She received a Masters degree in guidance counseling from New York University and went on to become a guidance counselor and teacher at New Rochelle High School. Barbara also taught business education courses at the Bronx Community College in New York City. She helped establish the New Rochelle branch of Monroe Business Institute and served as a founding teacher.

Barbara Louise became a fervent born-again Christian and initiated a spiritual revival within the Quarles household. Jesus became the center of her joy. She lived to know, to worship, and to learn of Him. Together, Barbara and George taught the Senior Bible Study Class for twelve years at St. Catherine AME Zion Church in New Rochelle where she also served as a Deaconess and Sunday School teacher.

Barbara enjoyed reading the Bible, listening to music, dancing, international travel, home-cooked meals, walking, rowing, and paddle-boating at the family summer cottage on Page Lake in New Milford, Pennsylvania. Many who knew her would agree that kindness was her outstanding character trait. She leaves a legacy of fervent dedication to living a life that was pleasing to God. Throughout her lifetime she reached out to many friends and family to help in any way she could, a listening ear, a helping hand or a hearty hug.

Barbara Louise Quarles is survived by her husband of fifty-seven years, George R. Quarles and her two daughters, Naima Quarles-Burnley (Larry) and Nia Caron Quarles. Two other daughters were born to this union but died at birth. She has one living grandson, Thulani Rashad Burnley and another who awaits her in glory, Rashad Latif Burnley. She also leaves behind a Godson, who was the son she never had, John Mark Ahinful, a native of Ghana, West Africa.

Memorial services will be held at 6:00pm, Friday, August 13, 2010 at St. Catherine African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 19 Lincoln Ave., New Rochelle, New York. Rev. Michael J. Rouse, presiding.