Barbara A Macdonald

Barbara was born in New York, to Marcus and Helen (Scheier) Adelman on December 20, 1933. After the family moved to New Hampshire, Barbara attended the University of New Hampshire, continuing at the Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing.

Barbara married Daniel Carmen in 1954 and they settled in the suburban Boston area. They had three children: Jonathan, a musician and writer now in Los Angeles; Bruce, an attorney in Cambridge, Illinois; and Barry, a software Engineer from Boston, Massachusetts now residing in Clearwater, Florida.

After her divorce in 1976, Barbara, supported herself and family as the weekend nurse at Regis College while she completed her education with a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College; Barbara went on to complete her Masters and PH.D Degrees in psychology at Boston College.

Barbara was a research statistician for the Veterans Administration and the Commonwealth of Massachusets until moving to Clearwater, Florida in 1989, where she worked as a statistician at Bayfront Medical Center, St. Petersburg, and at University of South Florida, Tampa. Barbara finished her career as an educator for the Jewish Community & Family Center, Clearwater, traveling all over north Florida help staff and residents at Assisted Living Facilities.

Barbara discovered WMNF community radio station, Tampa, soon after moving to Clearwater, where she volunteered in many capacities, and attended many of their fund raising musical events with husband Mike.

Barbara worked at the Clearwater YMCA as volunteer coordinator, and was awarded Volunteer of the Year in 2010; Barbara was secretary of the Clearwater Audubon Society, treasurer of a local woman’s investment club, and a member of the Miniature Art Society of Florida.

Barbara met Michael L. MacDonald in 1979 and they were married in 2002. Barbara and Mike were together for nearly forty years, more than her first husband, and more than his wives; Barbara used to tell people that she “survived” me longer than my three former wives, “combined.”

Barbara and Mike hosted two wine tasting groups in the Boston area, one in Clearwater, and were active members in the Newton Lower Falls (MA) neighborhood gourmet group. They enjoyed traveling to visit family and friends to all four corners of the USA and mid-west, as well as to New Zealand and Italy.

Barbara loved hosting parties, and cooking for dinner parties. At one Halloween party, as well as the usual orange and black makeup, she dressed in a black slip with quotes from Sigmund Freud - her “Freudian Slip” was the hit of the party.

Barbara and Mike hosted annual Christmas Brunches for twenty years, where family, extended family, and friends, were warmly welcomed to prodigious quantities of breakfast vitals, made almost entirely by Barbara.

With a large extended family in Massachusetts and Florida, Barbara was known as ‘mom’ and ‘grandma.’ Barbara loved family and people in general. Her heart and home were open to all. Barbara instilled in her children and grandchildren a love of learning, music, all forms of visual art, and family.

Barbara is survived by husband Michael; sister Judith (Donald) Reinken in New Zealand; her three sons; four grandchildren: Melinda Hartman of Cary, IL; Gregory Carmen of Villa Park, IL, Xerxes and Zazz Carmen of Los Angeles; and two great grandchildren: Fiona and Jeremy Hartman.

Cremation was performed at Barbara's request. A private memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.

In lieu of flowers or such, Barbara would be proud and happy should anyone want to make a donation in her name to her cherished radio station: WMNF, Tampa (details are on the WMNF web page; or: 813-865-8264).