Barbara Jo Tilton

Barbara Jo was born in Jersey City to Bernice “Kennedy” and Ed Peel. There she learned to love her Irish heritage, St. Dominic Academy, and her Catholic religion with help from the Nuns at St. Aedon’s Grammar School.

She went to Nazareth University in Kentucky where she excelled academically, making more lifetime friends while singing and performing in theater. In High School she saw Oklahoma 10 times! but, Mike Tilton came along and swept this beauty off her feet and they married in 1963 at Perona Farms (first open bar ever in NJ!) and before her graduation. but she went back to school at age 40, with five children and earned a B.A. in Communications.

Barbara Jo joined AT&T to earn money to buy a first home. but had five daughters and became the best mom EVER in that first home in Sparta. Her daughters loved her passionately; Ellen, Geraldine, Laura Jean, Jenny, and Lucy who, with their husbands; Michael, Ken, Anthony, Joe, and Greg gave her and Mike 15 grandchildren,; Carlen, Laura, Mia, Alexandra, Jacquelyn, Anthony, Christian, Sarah, Maggie, Anna, Joey, Ronan, Jack, Tristin and Gabriel, and 11 great grandchildren.

She never stopped giving back to the world with many years as a paramedic on the Sparta Ambulance Squad, generous giving to the health care community and many charities, especially to the disabled children and the less fortunate. She was a charter member of the Highland Workshop, the Sussex YMCA, the SCARC Foundation and the Laura Jean Tilton Foundation.

She traveled the world with Mike, loved her homes in Lake Mohawk, Nantucket Island and Elk Mountain. She was active in jogging, biking, and cross country skiing until her knees needed replacing.

Barbara Jo was a Lifeguard on Lake Mohawk for three years. She never stopped learning such as learning mahjong with her book club friends “The Book Worms”.

She was a real live Renaissance woman with an unbelievable memory (except for her lost phone and glasses). Her gardening skills were artful along with all the garden critters. She could be a bit sassy, but always the lady who loved all with no exceptions or judgements.

We will miss “Mom” and our “Mimi” desperately, but her memories will keep our world brighter. Goodbye Mom, our Love, until we meet again.

Memorial Visitation will be held from 3PM - 6PM on Sunday, March 22, 2026 at Our Lady of the Lake Church, 294 South Sparta Ave. in Sparta. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, March 23rd at 10AM. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the SCARC Foundation or the Sparta Ambulance Squad by clicking one of the links below.