Barbara N. "Bellrose" Dunivan

Barbara N. Dunivan, age 81, of East Bridgewater, passed away Friday January 16, 2026, with her family by her side. Barbara Nancy (Bellrose) Dunivan was born on May 4,1944, in Worcester Massachusetts. She was the beloved daughter of the late Anne B. (Zuranski) Bellrose Loranger and James C. Economou. She graduated from Jamaica Plain High School in 1962. It was in Jamaica Plain that my mother Barbara met, fell in love and married the "love of her life" the late Robert Dexter Dunivan, my dad, in 1965. They were happily married for 43 years. My mother Barbara is survived by me, her daughter, Pamela T. Dunivan-Caffrey and her son-in-law Patrick M. Caffrey Sr. of Middleboro, MA. "Nanny" is survived by her grandsons, Patrick Caffrey Jr. of Worcester, MA, Jack Douglas Caffrey and Dean Evan Caffrey of Middleboro, MA. "Nanny" enjoyed fostering a special relationship that was unique to each one of her grandsons. "Nanny" and "her boys" shared their own brand of humor, special sayings and countless long talks over the years. She adored them and felt truly blessed to have been able to see them grow from little boys to grown men! "Nanny" will be in their hearts forever and the memories they made with her will continue to make them smile, bring on laughter just thinking of her and funny stories will be told about their "Nanny". She was one-of-a-kind. Barbara is also survived by her youngest brother Gene "Bunky" Loranger and his wife, Barbara's sister-in-law, Cathy (Given) Loranger of VA. Barbara and her little brother formed an impenetrable bond when they were both very young and they lost their mother Anne in 1957. Though separated by circumstances beyond their control to journey down very different paths to adulthood, Barbara did her best to stay ever present in her brother Gene's life. Barbara felt immense joy that she and her "Bunky" had come full circle to share long phone calls, visits when it was possible to do so and share as many memories as they could both remember from their youth. It meant everything to Barbara to be closer to her brother than they had been in years. Truth be told to Uncle Gene and Cathy, mom secretly loved being part of your prayers for her. She found deep comfort and peace knowing you were praying for her, though she would never admit it to you, lol. Barbara leaves a niece, Amanda Loranger of VA and a nephew Andrew Loranger of FL. "Everything happens for a reason", was something Barbara came to believe whole-heartedly, when by divine intervention and a tremendous amount of family research, Barbara and her first cousin Frances (Malonis) Hopkins, were reunited after being apart from each other for 70+ years! It was a true miracle! "Frannie" as Barbara recalled after all these years was what she called her cousin when they were young, and her cousin just loved being called "Frannie" once again. Discovering each other, first cousins, at the age of 81 and 85, was truly meant to happen for Barbara and "Frannie". Bringing them together again for the first time in over 70 years was the most precious gift to both of them. They knew how lucky they were to see each other once again, and how it came to happen had much to do with those in the stars above us. Frannie and Barbara's mothers were sisters, Helen and Anne Zuranski. The sisters, along with their other siblings were 1st generation Lithuanian Americans born and raised in Worcester, MA. Frannie and Barbara's grandparents, Joseph and Victoria (Waitkevich) Zuranski emigrated to America in 1910 and settled in Worcester, Massachusetts. Barbara and Frannie were instantly transported back in time to when they were young and played with each other on Henry St. in Worcester. The memories they recalled of what they remembered about each other, their families, and their time together in Worcester, was the best medicine in the world for Barbara. Barbara, her daughter, me, Pamela, Frannie, her daughter Kathie (Hopkins) Ritchie and her husband Dick Rithchie wasted no time in getting together as often as we could, so that Barbara and Frannie could be together. Barbara loved talking to Frannie on the telephone when they couldn't travel the distance to see each other. Pictures were exchanged, they reminisced, laughed and felt "blessed" for the gift of each other, cousins and family. Barbara had a renewed faith and true belief that there would be a loving family reunion as well waiting to embrace her when she passed on. Barbara was unfortunately predeceased by her eldest child, her son, Christopher Alan Dunivan who passed away suddenly on August 17, 2019, as well as my brother's only child, Barbara's first grandson, Johnathan Michael Dunivan in 1999. Barbara was also predeceased by her mother, Anne (Zuranski) Bellrose Loranger in December 1957, her biological father James C. Economou in December 1973 and her 2 older brothers, Albert L. Bellrose and Robert J. Bellrose. Barbara fought a long and courageous battle with small-cell metastatic lung cancer. Always strong, ever independent and never one to complain about her circumstances, mom staved off that which she should have succumbed to much earlier- and by the grace of God, and my mother's will to never give up, we were blessed to have her with us for almost 2 more years than expected. We all lived in the moment, building memories, taking care of her and spending as much time with family as mom was able to do. But most of all we are all grateful for every single day we were blessed to spend together. Christmas 2025 will always be our most special memory with Barbara, mom, Nanny...As her grandson Jack put it so beautifully, "Nanny rolled back time..." on Christmas day. We had the most perfect holiday with her and she with us. There aren't many friends or family that Barbara knew in her lifetime still with us. There are only a handful of people in the entire world that will remember Barbara in the future or talk about the memories they have of her. That's absolutely ok with me and mine. We have so many wonderful and memorable stories about my mom, their Nanny. Truth be told not all of them are flattering. She wouldn't want us to remember her any other way. Barbara was a private woman. She lived a simple life for almost 50 years in East Bridgewater. She was never one to lavish herself with "new" things. She was a bargain hunter, thrift shopper, yard sale addict and flea market wanderer. Always on the lookout for something that she could purchase for very little, she would bring the item home where it would join all of her other "finds". The joke she and I shared was that items would come into her home as "collectibles" and by the time she might finally consider parting with something, the item was now an "antique". We would all laugh and tease her about all of her collections taking up room in her home. I have to give it to her though, she knew her "stuff". Barbara began selling on eBay years ago and she did quite well. She was "ms1thriftydiva".