I would like to thank everyone for coming today and also for the outpouring of love and support for our family over the last week. For those of you that don’t know me, I am Lori, Barbara’s youngest daughter. First I would like to give you a little background on my mom. She was born in Bridgeport, Ct to our grandmother, Beatrice Mercier in 1933. She was raised by a loving extended family in Lawrence, Mass. and later moved to Dorchester when her mother married Joseph Downing. She had a loving step-father who affectionately became known as Bampi to our family. She became a big sister when she was about 14 to her late brother, Joseph and then her late sister, Patricia. Mom attended St. Gregory’s High School in her junior year, where she was elected class president in her senior year. She also had a job at Brigham’s where she met her future husband Gerry, our Dad. Mom had planned on moving to Washington DC after high school to pursue a career with the Navy Department and was granted a position as a secretary for the Bureau of Personnel. Before she left, our dad proposed to her. She still went, but only stayed for three days and returned to accept his proposal.
They married in 1954 and started a family. They had 7 children including our sister, Ellen, who was born with congenital heart disease and only survived for 7 weeks. They made their home in Canton for the next 26 years. Mom was a stay at home mom, as most were in those days and spent her time caring for all of us. We had a great childhood full of family, friends, camping trips, little league, dance school. We did it all. Our mom took great care of us, ironed our uniforms, cooked great Sunday dinners with extended family, made sure we went to church on Sundays and sent us off to school each day with packed lunches.Mom soon had the desire to return to work and got a job as a secretary at the local school supply company while we were at school. She was also very active in the community and became involved in many clubs and groups such as the League of Women Voters or the league of women vultures as my dad called it, the Democratic Town Committee and the Canton Housing Authority. She continued to care for her family, but also followed her ambitions and went on to have a very successful career in real estate winning many awards. Our brother Robert tragically died in a car accident in 1975. This was devastating to our family and she found great solace with neighbors and friends in particular our dear friend, Richard aka Uncle Milty. Richard never left her side. He was there for her and my mother never forgot that. To this day he could always cheer my mom up on a gloomy day.
My mom and dad retired to Winter Haven, Florida in 1988. She wasn’t thrilled about moving to Florida with the Red Sox and leaving her kids behind but she went. She did finally learn to love it there and had many friends in their community. They spent their summers in Falmouth and we all enjoyed family cookouts, beach days and summers together. We created so many fond and fun memories. My mom stayed in Florida until 2014 after our dad passed away and has lived with me and my family in Mansfield ever since.
So, that is mom’s life in a nutshell. Now let me really tell you about my mom. Mom was always the life of the party. She loved to have family gatherings and be with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. As large as our family is, she had a unique connection with each person from her sons-in law all the way down to her great grandchildren. Mom shared something special with each and everyone of us. One might say she makes the best grilled cheese ever or they love nana’s meatballs and another would say they loved just hanging out with her and watching old movies. Just ask my 2 year old granddaughter Ryan about Nana and she replies, She’s the best! Mom was an expert on pop culture and entertainment. She loved movies and music, old and new alike. She could tell you who was married to who and she knew everything about everyone from Cary Grant to the Kardashians.
She was honest and straightforward and didn’t hold back. When you asked her how this outfit looked you were taking a big chance. She would tell you exactly what she thought. Or when naming a baby..if she didn’t like it you knew it.
My mom taught us that family comes first and you always take care of each other no matter what. She showed us this by her own actions all the time.
She was strong and resilient and “ a force to be reckoned with”
She had a keen sense of fashion and always looked good. In fact on the day recently when she was going to the emergency room, she first had to get dressed in a lovely outfit, matching shoes and made sure to put lipstick on before the ambulance arrived even though she had to wear a mask.
She loved all of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren so much! She made it a point to know what everyone was doing. She enjoyed going to all of their sporting events and was always so proud of their accomplishments.
She worked hard all her life until the end. ….
She handled all of her health challenges with dignity and grace. Even in the last few months of her life she never complained. We were blessed to have some amazing caregivers who cared for our mom over the last couple of years. We could not have done it without them. We know it wasn’t always an easy job, especially the last few months and the love and support they provided was so appreciated.
My mother was many things to many people. Wife, mom. Auntie Barbara, friend, neighbor and nana to her grandkids and great grandkids. We are blessed with a large loving family. She loved all of us and we love her. She was our mom, our friend and our confidant. She touched many lives in many ways. She had a zest for life and a will to live and was truly the strongest woman I know.
Closing…
Thank you for all you have given us Mom! You were a true blessing to our family. We are so grateful for you and for all the time we have spent together. Our lives and our home will not be the same without you. Rest easy with Papa and Robert and Ellen. We love you and will miss you every day.