Barbara A. Lewis: In Memoriam

Barbara was always a central figure in any group or function. A quiet glow that never went unnoticed. We all had many good times in her company. It often was Barbara that made those good times special, from the Balsams to Eleuthera and from Sebring to the cruise ships. We'll never forget that wicked golf game she made us play at Sebring. A good time always involved Barbara. I will especially miss Barbara along with her many good friends.

i guess you can say i'm at a loss for words right now. I could write down all the wonderful memories i have shared with my beloved grandmother but that would end up turning in to a very lengthy novel. I mean how do you express all the feelings you have toward such a unique and special women that ruled her kingdom with a velvet iron fist. No matter what you did or how far you strayed she was always there to show you the error of your ways and then wrap you up in thoose arms that magicly took away every morsel of pain, and replaced it with the kind of love that could never ever be shaken. That is the one thing i will miss over everything else but at least now i know that God created someone so beautiful and so pure and i will not rest peacefully again untill i find my next endangered earthly angel to fill my gaping void. You will always be the Queen of my heart.

Barbara loved life and made her friends feel special. She exuded warmth and love and it was returned, in kind.

Barabra was our friend for over 35 years. She was always a great source of comraderie and strength. We loved her. She surmounted obstacles with grace and lived in the moment.

Frank was her partner, friend , fishing and golfing buddy and we always admired their strength, relationship and love for each other. We will miss her good humor.

God Bless Barbara, Frank and their children.

We never had the pleasure of meeting Barbara. I have seen lots of pictures and shared plenty of memories with Steve and Cathi. Vanessa and I have known Steve and Cathi for a long time. You both are good friends. We are here for you...Always!!!
It's with deep sadness that we tell you "Our Prayers and Hopes are with your entire family during these times"

Although I did not know Barbara I know her wonderful son Mark and had the pleasure to meet her daughter Nancy on several occasions. I wish the family strength in the days and weeks to come.

Sorry to hear of your loss.

Dawn.

I remember the first day i saw you in a bassinet you and mom were in the sun room and had arrived home from the hospital you were so cute we all loved you from that day on and i knew that you would leave a wonderful mark in our world which you did I want to thank you for all the happy times you Frank and myself had you were one in a millon and picked the greatest man in the world to spend your life with and what a great job the two of you did raising your family. Thank you sister for being my sister and leave the heavenly gates open so we will be together once again oh poor heaven right?? Rest in peace

Barbara. we'll always remember you as the vibrant person who made our lives full by taking on any task, helping with any project and others needs with a smile that shown through your own personal restrictions. Thanks for the memories. Joan & Dick

GRANDMOTHER & FRIEND:
IT IS A VERY SAD TIME IN OUR LIVES TO SAY GOODBY
TO OUR VERY GOOD FRIEND. WE ARE THINKING OF ALL THE
GOOD TIMES AND ADVENTURE'S WE ALL HAD TOGETHER. WE WILL
MISS YOU BUT ALSO WILL INCLUDE YOU IN OUR THOUGHTS AND
PRAYERS.DON'T WORRY WE WILL LOOK AFTER GRANDFATHER.
CAROLE & GEORGE

Frank, if there ever was a marriage filled with true love, commitment, and respect it was yours with Barb. My heart goes out to you at this time of pain. I am sorry Barb suffered so much with her health. She used to say my dad was her favorite person in the world, and when he died, I took his place! What a special honor! Barb had a heart of gold. I will miss her and think of her laughter and witty comments along with her honest concern for everyone.
I know my dad greeted her up in heaven and they are having a great time together again!
I know my mom and dad had many great memories of our time in Shadow Hill and then visiting you in Mass. My mom will miss Barb and the phone calls. We have our memories. What a special special woman Barb was. We love you both. You are in our prayers and thoughts. It is a difficult time to lose our beloved Barb on earth. I know you will count your blessings of many wonderful years of memories with Barb. God Bless you and your family. I am thinking about her laughter.........My deepest Regards, Laura Spencer

Our family will remember with great joy the many times that we had a laugh or two with Barbara & Frank. Barbara always had a kind word or a thoughtful gesture. Whether it was in Florida or at our home in Massachusetts we always happy to see our great, great, great, great grandmother.

We will miss her. Our love to Frank and the Lewis family.

The Dahne Family

Our family will remember with great joy the many times that we had a laugh or two with Barbara & Frank. Barbara always had a kind word or a thoughtful gesture. Whether it was in Florida or at our home in Massachusetts we always happy to our great, great, great, great grandmother.

We will miss her. Our love to Frank and the Lewis family.

The Dahne Family

Yes, we have all been blessed by having Auntie Barbara in our family.
She was always there for anyone who needed to be consoled or just give advice to. I have many fond memories of her , Dennisport during the summer, where all the cousins play at the beach and at night the adults played cards. Every summer when I am in Dennisport, my Mom and I drive down Captains Row and I am still amazed how we all slept in such small cabins. Also, how she enjoyed clam digging!! "Auntie" also would let us enjoy her home in Harwichport, while Unlce Frank and her were in Florida, which was sooo thoughtful and generous of her.
I have also given my beloved "Auntie" many haircuts and perms throughout the years. Once she wanted her haircut extremely short and Uncle Frank staring calling her "George". She was the best Aunt anyone could ever have and I will miss her deeply. I know she will be watching over all us like all angels do.
Love
Diane

She was known as Barb to her friends, Mom to a lucky four, and "Weetie" to a very special One. But she was always Grammie to everyone. Whoever she was to each of us, she was undoubtedly a best friend to all of us. Grammie had a gift for creating a bond with each of us that felt special and unique. She was always there to listen and offer advice with flare, humor, and sensitivity. No matter how busy life was, she always made time for her family and friends. We knew we were important to her. You could tell in her stories! Even if you were part of the story, she told it with such enthusiasm that it was like you were hearing it for the first time. Memoirs of Grammie included; the story of Uncle Mark's shoes in the oven, the grandaughters' fight over the hairbrush, Grampie's way of proposing, Kamm's request for permission to swim in Grampie's ocean, and many more. She definately had a gift! She was a gift! And we are all fortunate enough to have a precious part of her in us that will continue to live on. Some of have her eyes, some her smile, some have her laughter (right, Aunt Nancy). But we all have her heart and spirit! Even more so, we have memories of her! Some of them are private and some of them are shared. No one can forget Family Survivor in the Bahamas or the infamous UNO games (Grammie was a fierce, but honest player)! We have memories of holidays, birthdays, vacations, special talks, anniversaries, all of her jokes... She just had a way of making everything beautiful and comfortable and fun! Together, Grammie and Grampie started the greatest family ever! And we are all truly honored to be part of it and sooooo incredibly lucky for their union. Both of them have been strong, supportive, and loving roles in our lives. They have been our inspirations and our family's guardian angels! Now we can say that Grammie has her wings! She was our mentor, our wife, our mother, our sister, our grandmother, our aunt, our friend and companion. Above all, she was ours! And I thank God every day that I was blessed with her and that I am blessed because of her! Grammie will be greatly missed and forever loved! I dedicate to My Grammie, Our Grammie, an Irish Blessing:
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rain fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hands.
I LOVE YOU, GRAMM! I MISS YOU!

The Lewises and the St.Laurents became neighbors at Royal Wood G&CC, Cobblestone Court, in 1991...then again in 2000 when we bought a house on Westbourgh Court right next door. Barbara and I often laughed at the adventures of "Frick and Frack" (Frank and Ron). They were forever up to something. She was patient with me learning to play Mah Johnng and eventually invited me into her Monday evening group. (I really felt like a big shot then.)
Barbara was a devoted wife, a proud mom and grandma, and certainly a wonderful FRIEND. These things I know to be FACT.
She called a spade a spade. She would give you the shirt off her back. She called Ron, Frankie....because she thought he sang like Frank Sinatra. I was Jetski. We shared many good times with Barbara. We will miss you, dear friend. You are a GREAT lady.
Jet and Ron

Every summer when I was growing up my sisters and I would spend a few weeks at grammie and grampies house. I would be so excited the night before that I couldnt sleep. I couldt wait for grammie to ask what I wanted for breakfast and it was always the same answer peaches and cream or strawberries and cream oatmeal. While at thier house we would play uno and monopoly and grammie was ever so brutal with the draw four cards:)While at thier house they always had something fun planned, Fourth of July at the club, Cape Cod trips, batmitten, etc. Then I grew up and couldnt visit as often:( Our last two family gatherings were even more special because one celebrated a love that had lasted 50 years and the other had celebrated me on my way to becoming a mom. The whole gang threw me a surprise baby shower. That is the kind of loving family that we have and each one of you means more to me than I can express and I know grammie felt the same way. Her words at her 50 year anniversary were that we all have made her life more wonderful than she could have ever hoped for. Grammie I think got it a little backwards because she and grampie have made our lives more wonderful than we could have hoped for. She is loved more than she knows and now she will be missed just as much. A private joke between grammie and I "Dont worry wheatie, I'll wear my spf 45."

What a tough lady. She lived her life to enjoy it and she always said what was on her mind. She was so good to us and loved our dog (the late Casey) always refering to herself Casey's Mom. We will miss you dear Barbara.

We remember three experiences which are so reflective of Barbara's personality.
1. We were at the Cape with Barbara and Frank. Frank saw someone down the beach who seemed to be in trouble in the water. He immediately took off to help. Just joking I said, don't worry Barbara, Frank just came up for the second time and I have it on my video camera. Her eyes turned purple and in no uncertain words, she let me have it. I didn't joke about that any more.
2. I was playing golf at Quidnessett Country Club. I was walking and carrying my bag and was the only one on the course because of freezing rain. Frank came driving down the entrance and saw me. He was showing Barbara the Club in preparation for moving back to RI. He saw me and stopped to introduce me to her. I had my glasses frozen over with ice and icecicles dripping from the lid of my golf cap. I said "nice to meet you Barbara. Welcome to RI". I don't remember her exact words but it was something like--are you some kind of nut or what.
3. Carol and I were playing in a fouresome at Quidnessett with Barbara and Frank. Barbara was in the sand trap by the 14th green. She entered the trap laying about 6. After 4 more unsuccessful swings in the trap, Frank said, "for God's sake Barbara, pick it up." She said, "shut up Frank" and took two more shots and got on the green. She never gave up.

She was quite a lady. We will miss her and send our love to Frank and our best wishes to the entire family. Carol and Darrell May.

Of all the decisons my parents made' none made me prouder, luckier, or appreciative of how much love 1 person could hold, than by asking "Auntie Barb" to be my godmother. Auntie Barb was always setting up, and joining in all the family get togethers, soft ball games included, she shared love, understanding and caring. When my Lori was battling cancer and was having a day that the losing of the battle was more than she could take Auntie Barb was there for her, with love patience and caring, as if Lori were her own, Brian loved her to the extent that Brian at age 4 was calling her Auntie granddma !! On many conversations Dennis and I, and later, Janice and I would say how come we couldn't have have swapped at birth to Uncle Frank and Auntie Barb !!!! My heart goes out to the saddest, luckiest people in the world, her family now left behind, just please take consolation ;that she right now is winning the biggest Mahjohn game in the universe ! Her only concern now is that Uncle Frank her life long partner keeps busy fixing things as only he can. With so much love Greg, Brian, LORI, Mango, Joy, and Niles

Ah, how truly blessed I have been to have had the privilege of being one of Auntie Barbara's wayward sheep these 29 plus years. How vividly I recall her demonstrating Jumping Jacks modeling a mere mumu in my parents Needham basement to the delight of Aunt Ginny,Ina and my Mom. All those tales of stringing worms onto the pullcords of the light fixtures at Rowell's Roost awaiting the unsuspecting Men Folk-they were all true and Auntie Barbara was the skilfull mastermind behind it all! Then there was the time the she and Mille bought Mark and I matchig purple outfits (jeans and scratch and sniff grape T-Shirts. What was up with that?) Not to mention when my absolute FAV cousin and I were bagged exiting the infamous dunes and Mister Mark escaped corporal punishment because he hadn't been, and I quote, "officially" warned :-) And then I asked Uncle Frank to give me away at my Wedding (which he's still tryig to do- give me away ( Auntie Barbs one piece of advise was "Janni, and no-one gets away with calling me Janni exceptif you want your marriage to last, move away!" And no truer words have ever been spoken.
Aunt Barbara was and is the ONE person who never judged any of us- she loved us warts and all. She had such a genuine zest for life,laughter and the pursuit of love and has truly been the thread that held this extended family together. I am so thankful that we were able to host a Family Reunion this past summer as memories WILL last a lifetime and what a gift we had in your Mom!
with deepest sympathies and healing wishes
Janice, Ken and the girls

I am just devastated to hear the news. I only have the fondess memories of Barbara. She was a very sweet and kind lady. She treated me like she was her son too when I was with her. I haven't seen her for many years, but I'll never forget her. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I love you all. I wish I could be there with you to help ease the sadness. Rick Cornell (and Alan Muniz)

Barb.....what a beautiful woman.....she had such a beautiful smile and a warm, loving hug. We had some great fun together (Barb, Frank, Lucy, Diane, Dave and me.) I particularly remember the time they came to NH and stayed with us.....she was saying how she hadn't had a good night's sleep in weeks. So, of course, we offered her the hide-a-bed but she would hear nothing of it and fell asleep on the contour part of the sofa.....probably the most uncomfortable seat in the house. Here she was, sleeping on a curve, no head board, all curled up! Well, we were all up the next day (I say day not morning 'cause I'm never up early) and there was Barb, sound asleep, never heard our noise and slept till ll:00AM!!!!! We all had a good laugh over that.

She named David "Brat" and me, "Mrs. Wonderful" (of course she had it right!) and always called me that.

I was so looking forward to having them back in MA (as I'm sure we all were). I regret that I hadn't become a member of this family years earlier. I shall miss her.