Barbara Marie Graves Dighton

Barbara Marie Dighton loved and was loved by many. She was a faithful Catholic, loving wife, devoted mother, grandmother, great grandmother, foster grandmother, aunt, sister, and daughter. To family and friends who knew her best, Barbara will be remembered as a generous, cheerful, loving woman.

Barbara was born on November 20, 1926 at Worcester City Hospital in Worcester, MA. She was the daughter of John Henry Graves and Grace Johanna McCullough Graves. Barbara grew up in East Millbury, MA.

Barbara was raised with three siblings. She had two sisters, Grace and Carol, and one brother, John Henry. Theirs has always been a close-knit family, sharing holidays, vacations, and many special occasions.

As a young girl, Barbara enjoyed the outdoors where she loved to play Red Rover, Kick the Can, and The Jack Knife, with friends in the neighborhood. She often talked about her strictest teacher, Miss Burns. She was quite elderly, in fact several of her Aunts had also been taught by Miss Burns. As a teen, she discovered her love of dance and would dance whenever the opportunity arose! In the winter, Ice-skating with friends was her favorite pastime. She loved spending time her best friend, Nancy Winters.

In High School she was a member of the Glee Club and the Drama Club, and her favorite class was Drama class. Barbara loved acting in school plays. She also enjoyed riding bicycles to the movies and eating fried clams at Howard Johnson's with Nancy.

She has always loved babies, so babysitting was a favorite after school activity. On weekends she could be found behind the cosmetic and candy counters at Woolworth's Five and Dime. On Sundays she volunteered at Worcester City Hospital in preparation for nursing school. Barbara graduated from Millbury High School on D Day, June 6, 1944.

Barbara loved nursing school! She welcomed the long hours and the rigorous study requirements. Her favorite courses were her clinicals where she actually got to take care of patients. She graduated from the Holden District Hospital L. P. N. Nursing program in 1946. For the next year, she worked at Holden Hospital, a small hospital where the shifts were 13 days on with 1/2 day off. Then she worked as a private duty nurse, but soon realized the she loved hospital work most so she returned to Holden Hospital. While she worked there she lived in the Nursing Home nearby. During that time, because of the war, she had to spend her 1/2-day off standing in line for coffee, sugar, butter and white silk stockings.

Always considered a great friend to those she knew, Barbara enjoyed a broad group of acquaintances and several very close friends during her lifetime. While growing up, her best friend was Nancy Winters. They were inseparable through middle and high school and remained very dear friends until Nancy's death in 2011. Although Nancy was her best childhood and young adult friend, as an adult Barbara developed lifelong friendships with Rita and Bill Mullen, Arlene and Fred LaPorte, Jean and Ron Jeglie, Sharon Wickenhauser, Rose and Bob Seiger, Jan and Ken Gordon, Margaret and Jack Lydall, Jan and Jack Lammers, Carol and Tom Johnson, Mary and Dick Urbanowski, Grace and Dick Doyle, and Tinka and Maurice Quigley. Barbara was a faithful and devoted friend to many. She was easy to love and made all who entered her circle feel welcome and loved.

Barbara met the love of her life on December 24, 1945. A friend of her Mother's suggested that she meet the son of one of her friends who was home on leave from the Navy. She reluctantly agreed, but when that cute sailor, Dick Dighton showed up on her doorstep, her heart skipped a beat. For the next year they courted on weekends as he was stationed in Boston. They became engaged in April of 1946 and were married on May 24, 1947 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in East Millbury, MA. Their reception followed at the Edgewood House and they honeymooned in Atlantic City. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Richard Dighton began their life together in a one room flat with a shared bath, a hot plate and a small refrigerator. They had no car and no washer, so Barbara washed by hand and hung clothes outside.

One year later on May 31, 1948 Barbara and Dick were blessed with a son Richard Wayne, the first of their five children. Three years later they welcomed Judith Marie (Judy), followed by another daughter, Dale Patricia, and two sons, Michael (Mike), and Timothy (Tim). Barbara was devoted to her husband and her children. She retired from nursing after her fist child was born and became a full time Mom and wife. She taught her children well in the ways of the Church, and held high expectations for them. As adults her children have blessed her with fifteen grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren, Her grandchildren are Lynnette, Page, Quinn, Christine, Rebecca, Christopher, Lauren, Jennifer, Pamela, Erin, Charlie, Jason, Jake, Derek, and Kaylin. Great-Grandchildren include Madysen, Lauren, Ava, Bayla, JT, Julia, Reilly, Chloe, Tess, Mckenzie Lanie, Zachary, Lucy, Michael, Andrew, and Evan. She has also been a loving Foster Nana to many of her daughter's foster babies.

What little leisure time Barbara enjoyed, she spent doing the things she loved. Barbara LOVED to bake. She baked almost daily for her children, for her grandchildren who were away at college, for her husband, for family members serving in the military, and for friends. She looked for opportunities to make fudge, peanut clusters, peanut butter balls, her famous toffee squares, and "Nana's Banana Bread". Her freezer was always full of homemade treats. She also loved to knit and made baby blankets for every grandchild and great-grandchild. She also made homemade dishcloths which became favorite stocking stuffers. Barbara loved babies; her own, her nieces and nephews, grand babies, great grandbabies, and many many foster grand babies. She was happiest with a baby in her arms, and those babies were instantly at peace when she held them. She also loved to play cards and Bingo. She played cards with family nearly every evening and played a serious 8 card game of BINGO at least twice a week, where she and Dick developed several lifelong friendships.

Barbara's favorite TV shows included "The Bold and the Beautiful", Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Jeopardy, and the Price is Right. She also loved to watch Ice Skating competitions, basketball, the Olympics, and even football (just to be able to sit next Dick).

Throughout her life, Barbara was a doer and was always actively involved in Church and community organizations. In her later years, Barbara was an active member of whatever Church she and Dick belonged to, including the PTA, the church Bazaar committee, the Altar Society, and the Bake Sale committee; She was also an active member of O. P. U. S. (Older People Up to Something) at St John Neumann.

Barbara “walked the walk” with regard to her belief system and took an active role in her community. She was a giver who always took part in clothing drives for the underprivileged, bought school supplies for needy children, made and delivered lunches weekly for underprivileged school children, contributed to the St. Vincent de Paul Christmas drive, and supported a special homeless Viet Nam veteran with money, food, clothing, and baked goods. Politically, Barbara was a strong conservative primarily for her strong pro-life values.

Barbara’s faith was most important to her. She was an active member of the Catholic Church wherever she and Dick lived; in Worcester and in Northboro at Our Lady of Lourdes, in Boca Raton at St. Joan of Arc, in Ocala at St Josephs of the Forest, in Sugar Land at St. Theresa, in California at St Jude's, in Austin at St John Neumann. She was an active member of the Altar Society, The Bake Sale committee, the Parish Bazaar committee, and OPUS. She also supported the Church financially, donated to the St Vincent de Paul Society, and supported all diocesan fundraisers.

Barbara loved to travel with her family. Early in their marriage favorite vacations included annual 2 week family vacations with best friends Bill and Rita Mullen and their children. Rita and Barbara each put aside $1 and a can of food each week to prepare for these annual vacations at a lakeside cottage. The quarters and budgets were tight but the families loved spending time together, swimming, fishing, canoeing, playing cards, flashlight tag, and other games. When the children were older, vacations included camping trips in the family pop up camper. When the kids left home, Barbara and Dick’s vacations involved visiting children and grandchildren in MN, FL, NC, and CA. Other favorites included a trip to Ireland with Judy, Dick, Ginny and Dan to celebrate anniversaries, a family vacation in Hawaii, and two family vacations at the beach in SC.

Barbara loved animals and one of her favorite pets as a girl was a family dog named Danny. After marrying, Barbara and Dick had another dog, Teddy. Their favorite pet was a sweet cat named Sabatha (Sabbie) who kept them company for 16 years. Since living in Austin with Judy, Dick and Charlie, they have loved Sophie a sweet Bijon Poodle mix.

When her husband Dick retired in 1984 they moved From Boca Raton, FL to Silver Springs, FL where Dick built a home for them. They loved their life there and made many friends. They lived there until 1997 when they joined Judy, Dick, Erin and Charlie is Sugar Land Texas. Shortly after that move, they relocated to CA where they lived near Judy, her husband Dick and their children for the next 8 years. In March of 2005 they relocated with Judy, Dick and Charlie, to Austin, Texas, where they have lived in their "casita" beside them.

In retirement, Barbara continued to find pleasure in baking, especially for Grandson Charlie and Grandchildren Erin, Jason, Derek, and Jake who are serving in the military and who regularly received care packages from Nana; knitting; supporting the Church; playing cards and Bingo; and making friends wherever she went, including Costco where she was greeted with hugs at the door; at Church where she and Dick were the regulars in the 2nd pew on the left at 9am Mass; at Bingo where she showed up twice a week with fresh baked goods for the seniors. She also continued to love and be loved by Judy and Dick's foster babies and their adoptive families. Nana is the official "Nana" of many many little ones who have been held in her arms and in her heart for the past 20 years. Even in retirement, Barbara continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new ones.

Barbara passed away at The Heart Hospital in Austin, Texas on November 20, 2013 at 12:45 p.m. in the arms of her loving and devoted husband Dick, and surrounded by family. She died from complications after open heart surgery to replace her heart valve. She planned her surgery at this time so she could be completely recovered by February when she hoped to travel to Florida for her sister Grace's 90th Birthday celebration. She died on her 87th Birthday. She is survived by her devoted and loving husband, Fred Richard; her children, Richard Dighton and wife, Kendall, Judy Ames and husband, Richard, Michael Dighton and wife, Barbara, and Timothy Dighton and wife, Karen; her sisters, Grace and Carol; her 15 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, and foster grandchildren.

A Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, December 14, 2013 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 5455 Bee Cave Road. Barbara will be laid to rest at 11:00 A.M., December 17, 2013 at Palm Beach Cemetery in Lantana, Florida.

Simply stated, Barbara Marie Dighton lived to love. She will, for all time, be remembered by her family and friends as compassionate, generous, and joyful. Barbara leaves behind her a legacy of life-long friendships and many cherished memories. All who knew her love her. All who love her will miss her greatly.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The John Paul II Life Center, 1600 W. 38th St., Suite 115, Austin, Texas, 78731, (512)407-2900, www.jpiilifecenter.org or Dominican Sisters of Mary-Georgetown, 5501 E. State Hwy. 29, Georgetown, Texas, 78626, (512)466-2228, www.sistersofmary.org.