VMa - Virginia ( Ginnie ) Higgins Barra, 97, of Millis, MA and lifelong resident of Portland, ME passed away December 15th. She was born in Dexter, ME on April 1st, 1925 to Ivory William and Agnes Patterson Higgins.
She graduated from N.H. Fay High School in 1943, then entered Maine General School of Nursing graduating in 1946. She was inducted into the U.S. Cadet Nurses Corps in May 1944 where she served until the end of WWII.
Ginnie married Roger A. Barra in 1947. They moved to Boston while Roger completed his last three years at Boston University and returned to Portland in May 1950. She had a great love of music from early childhood, singing solo in church choirs and glee clubs. As a communicant of Saint Patrick’s Parish she sang in the church choir and sang the funeral and anniversary masses for many years. She was avid reader, mostly history books on England and Scotland along with the Civil war and WWII.
She worked at the Osteopathic Hospital (Brighton Medical Center) from 1970-1983 as a charge nurse on the rehab unit. Upon retirement, she and Roger travelled to England, Scotland, Ireland and Normandy for the 50th anniversary of D-Day. They also enjoyed their trips to Hawaii, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Her favorite place was their cottage at Higgins Beach in Scarborough which they purchased in 1964.
She was predeceased by her son Peter D. Barra in 1959 and husband Roger in 2009. She is survived by her two daughters Laurie Barra Hansen of Millis MA and Mindy Barra-Miccile and her husband Lou of Westford MA, four grandchildren, Elissa Hansen Gross and her husband Ray of Taunton MA, Gregory Hansen of Millis MA, Lauren Miccile Renna and her husband Matt of Sudbury MA and Steven Miccile and his wife Courtney of Falls Church VA, She also leaves three great grandchildren, Tessa Grace Clifford, James Hidecki Gross and Molly Higgins Renna.
Visiting hours are Monday December 19th from 4:00 -7:00pm at Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford Street, Portland ME. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Tuesday December 20th 10:00 am at Saint Maximilian Kolbe Church, 150 Black Point Rd, Scarborough ME. Followed by a committal service at Calvary Cemetery in South Portland.
Memorial Donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place Memphis, TN 38105 or The Jimmy Fund, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th Floor Brookline, MA 02445.
You may offer your condolences or share your memories at www.jonesrichandbarnes.com
