Ms. Barbara A. Lennie

Born on February 10, 1949, in Flushing, Queens, New York, Bobbi was the daughter of the late Dorothy and Robert Lennie. She was the eldest of nine siblings: Kathleen (Bernard) Roccanova, Susan (Gary) Ramirez, Scott, Kevin (Jody), Beth (Dawn) Lennie, Nancy, Stephen (Dawn) Lennie, and the late Janet Lennie. She was a loving aunt to 11 nieces and nephews.

Bobbi is survived by her daughter, Lauren (Kevin) Vinciguerra, and her beloved grandson, Colin.

Bobbi graduated from Rich East High School in 1967 and studied marine biology at Fordham University. She worked as a flight attendant for American Airlines for 44 years. During her career, she formed a lifelong friendship with fellow flight attendants Tommie Hutto-Blake and Dana Olsen. They flew together and remained close friends for 56 years, sharing countless adventures, stories, and memories.

After high school, she left her home in Park Forest, Illinois, to live with her grandmother in New York. There, she met her future husband, Gardiner Crabtree, at Fordham. They lived together in Manhattan for several years before moving to New Milford, New Jersey, where they had their daughter, Lauren. They were married for 20 years before divorcing in 1999. Gardiner passed away in December 2025.

After her divorce, Bobbi found lasting companionship with Laurence Rizzio, who shared many meaningful years with her before his passing 14 years ago. They had an incredibly special bond. He could make her smile like no one else, and he is deeply missed.

Bobbi loved cooking, gardening, traveling, cleaning, cats, and classical music, among many other things. She was involved in the early stewardesses’ rights movement and was an advocate for women’s rights. She supported numerous charities, participated in AIDS walks, volunteered at the Preble Street Soup Kitchen, and took classes at the University of Southern Maine after retiring.

Bobbi had beautiful penmanship and an extensive vocabulary. She was the best mom and Gigi. She had many wonderful stories from her travels and met numerous celebrities during her career. Her friends and family describe her as “a light,” “vibrant,” and “a happy addition to the world.”

A Celebration of Life will be held at her daughter’s residence in Portland on Saturday, September 12, at 1 p.m. Please contact Lauren for the address if interested in attending. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Bobbi’s name to Preble Street, Maine Needs, or NPR.