We are sad to announce the passing of Barbara Marion White who left peacefully on a warm sunny morning on October 9, 2022, three days shy of her 88th birthday.

True to who she was, she fought hard to stay with us in her final months and weeks, her strong spirit infusing fun into a difficult situation every day.  She was the last one in her family of origin to leave, joining her mother, father, siblings, friends, and beloved husband George who all passed before her.

Mom always found a way to enjoy life. She was a sparkly light that turned everyone into a friend and made people smile, sing, dance, or join in on her parade.  She loved 80s music, a good rendition of “The Good Ship Lollipop”, and any kind of marching music. Her “salty” wit and her fun nature will be missed by family, friends, acquaintances, and strangers.

Barbara grew up in East Boston across from Constitution Beach.  Her favorite childhood accomplishments were winning talent shows when she was young (6-8 years old) and swimming across the inlet from the beach to the airport runway (back in the early 50s).  She always described childhood as being a lot of fun.

Over the course of her life, Barbara was an x-ray technician, waitress, quality control specialist, nursing home manager, a real estate agent in Florida, and was a rental agent in Peabody, MA.

After retiring, she enjoyed going on rides with her husband George driving through the “ritzy” sections of town, meandering down back roads to see foliage, trips north to spend time up in Ocean Park, ME.  She also enjoyed simple conversations with George over morning coffee, crossword puzzles, and holidays with her family – Christmas and Halloween were her favorite.  

More recently, she loved summer evening walks around her neighborhood and her beloved Mayor’s Sunday Summer Concert series in downtown Peabody, MA. 

As a cast member with the Peabody Senior Center chorus, she participated in seasonal shows, often performing the most “saucy and outrageous” parts with much enjoyment.

She is survived by her daughter Dianne Wiroll; sons David White & wife Elizabeth; Daniel White & wife Michele; Grandchildren Jamison Wiroll & wife Sarah, Lindsay Judge & husband Mike, Rachel Nolan & husband Dan, Rebekah White, Jacob Chamberlain; and her great-grandchildren AJ & Izzy Wiroll, Emmah & Brooke Nolan, and Leo Judge; also many cousins, nieces, nephews, and numerous friends (old and new). 

The family sends our undying love to the staff at Ledgewood Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for the never-ending care, love, and companionship they gave Barbara in her last year and final days. They will be in our hearts forever.  

With Mom’s blessing there wasn’t a formal service at the time of her passing.  A celebration of life ceremony will be announced at a future date – TBD.  We’ll also be putting out a beach chair for her in Ocean Park next summer.

Donations in Mom’s name can be made through one of the following options…

Peabody Senior Center

Barbara’s love of music, dancing, and entertainment led her to connect with the senior center through their chorus program where she wore many hats – literally and figuratively.  She loved being part of their music program’s sing-a-longs and variety shows.  The center accepts funds in memory of center members and offers options for how the money is used.  See the form for details.

The Alchemy of Aging Project is the educational arm of Memory Care Consulting.  The organization sponsors education focused on helping caregivers who are living or working with the senior population experiencing Alzheimer and Dementia.  Their workshops and retreats provide education around tools and approaches that can help caregivers maintain resilience in the face of these very difficult diseases.  

Memorial Bench Program – Peabody, MA

Barbara’s family has established a fundraiser on GoFundMe.com to raise funds to put a park bench in one of Mom’s favorite places to hang out on a beautiful summer evening.  Find out more about the city’s bench program and why we want to place one in Mom’s honor.