Barbara L. Ferris

Barbara L. Ferris, 70 SCARBOROUGH - Barbara L. Ferris passed away unexpectedly at her home June 15, 2009. She had been courageously battling lung cancer at the time of her passing. Barbara was born April 15, 1939 in Rochester, N.H., the daughter of Bernard and Lorraine Lachance. She spent her childhood in Gonic, N.H. and graduated from Spaulding High School in 1957. She pursued her natural instinct as a caregiver when she attended the Notre Dame School of Nursing in Manchester, N.H. She graduated as an R.N. with a B.S. in Nursing in 1961. During her nursing career, she worked in various hospitals in New Hampshire, North Carolina and Illinois, as well as in doctors' offices and private duty. She briefly served as the school nurse at The Sacred Heart School in Hampton, N. H. Barbara retired from nursing in 1987; her last job being the beloved 'Bubblegum Nurse' at an allergist's office in Portsmouth, N.H., dispensing sugarless gum along with shots to her young patients. All her life, Barbara loved the ocean. She spent many summer days at York Beach at her parents' cottages with her children and sailing with her father. She passed the allure of the ocean onto her children, particularly to her youngest son, Matthew, who made sailing and boats his livelihood. She had the good fortune to live in homes on the ocean in both Rye, N.H. and Ocean Ridge, Fla. Children, animals and the elderly were drawn to her. She had a smile that could light a room, a laugh that encouraged others to do so and a generosity of spirit and kindness that she bestowed on so many people in her life. To know Barbara was truly a gift. She gave generously to charities with her late husband, Joseph Ferris. St. Judes Hospital, Unicef and the Humane Society were those closest to her heart. In addition to the sea, she enjoyed gardening, her cats, feeding the birds and squirrels in her backyard and the Boston Red Sox. Most precious to her besides her children and their spouses were her five grandchildren. Her favorite role was that of being 'Mee-Mee' or 'Mems' to them. She was the bearer of treats and gifts and always had a full candy jar in her kitchen for kids big and small. Barbara was predeceased by her parents; a brother Ritchie Lachance and her husband Joseph Ferris, who passed away in 2003. She is survived by three sisters and three brothers, Nancy Carlson of Mandelein, Ill., Carol Berkley of Taylors, S.C., Rosean Lachance of Burbank, Calif., Paul Lachance of Las Vegas, Nev., Neil Lachance of Rochester, N.H. and Marc Lachance of Columbia, Tenn.; three children, Kimberley (Gurl) Swanson and her husband, Eric of Scarborough, Shaun Gurl and his wife, Anthea Perkinson-Gurl of Pelham, N.Y. and Matthew Gurl of Newport, R.I.; five grandchildren, Emma Rose and Andrew Swanson of Scarborough, Aidan, Liam and Dylan Gurl of Pelham, N.Y.; as well as many nieces and nephews. Even though sickness diminished her physically, her big smile and huge heart never dimmed. At her request, there will be no visiting hours. A celebration of her life will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, June 24th at the First Congregational Church of Scarborough, 167 Black Point Road, Scarborough. Arrangements are by the Hobbs Funeral Home, 671 U.S. Route 1, Scarborough. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: The American Lung Association 122 State Street Augusta ME 04330 or The Animal Refuge League PO Box 336 Westbrook ME 04092 Barbara L. Ferris