Barbara Winston

Artist, genealogist, opera fan and dog lover, Barbara Ann (Cosgrove) Wester Winston of Newton died peacefully at her home on Wednesday, April 4. She was 86. Born in Manhattan, Barbara was a resident of Newton since 1971. The daughter of naval engineer John D. Cosgrove II and Dorothy (Rohr) Cosgrove, she lived in many places as a child including the Bronx, Brooklyn, Sea Cliff, LI, Honolulu, and Coronado, CA. She graduated from the Punahou School in HonoluIu, attended Barnard College, and worked for TWA in New York City. For many years she worked for Dr. Frank Donaldson of Newton and in the Legal Department of WR Grace in Cambridge.

Barbara was the widow of Samuel J. Winston of Brookline, with whom she shared a passion for opera. An original member of the New England Opera Club, she designed its logo. An accomplished artist, she painted the portraits of such opera greats as Verdi & Pavarotti. A point of pride was the 250-page family history she wrote, inspired by an 1825 needlepoint sampler sewn by her ancestor.

Barbara is survived by her four children and their spouses, Mark and Barbara Wester of Natick; Susan Wester and Gerardo Perez of El Paso, TX; Carolyn Wester and Richard DeLeon of Pasco, WA; and Michael Wester and Toni Ma of Beijing; her six grandchildren, Matthew, Andrew, Alexandra, Eric, Thomas, and Eloise; her brother, John Cosgrove of Corona, CA; her stepdaughters, Faye Lundberg of Dedham and Ellen Fitzgerald of Lynn and their families; her former husband/dear friend Rolly Wester of Wellesley; and her beloved dog Lily.

A celebration of Barbara's life will be held at the Carriage House at Gore Place, 52 Gore Street, Waltham, on Sunday, April 15; friends are invited to drop by and join the family for light refreshments and sharing of memories between the hours of 10am and 1pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the N.E. Opera Club, the N.E. Historic Genealogical Society, or Mikey's Chance Canine Rescue, www.mikeyschance.com.