Barbara Mary Masci

Barbara Mary Masci, 94, passed away on November 30, 2025, in Thousand Oaks, California, surrounded by her family.
Born on June 22, 1931, and raised in Cheektowaga, New York, Barbara was the youngest child of Urban and Margaret Nealen and grew up alongside her siblings Urban, Ted, Bob, and Rita. With them, she loved roller skating around her neighborhood and having family picnics in her backyard.
Barbara married Joseph Penzkofer in her early years, and together they had a son, Joseph Jr. After Joseph Sr.'s passing when their son was two years old, Barbara later met and married Felix G. Masci in 1961, with whom she built a loving family. They moved to Thousand Oaks together in 1964 and raised their four boys, Joe, Chris, Felix, and David.
Barbara dedicated herself to providing a loving home for her family. She delighted in cooking, sewing, crafting, tole painting, and tending to her garden. Her boys fondly remember long days of canning tomatoes to later make homemade pasta sauce, and days spent in the pool under their mom's watchful eye. Barbara cherished her sons, their wives, her nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She loved teaching her grandchildren how to make powder-sugar-dusted pizzelle cookies, painting with them on the back porch, and making pancake breakfasts for them before church on Sundays. Barbara created countless memories that will be treasured by her family for years to come.
Barbara showed her love for others with her creativity, especially tole painting. She joyfully created artwork that are cherished heirlooms for each family member. Every year, she and her husband, Felix, worked together to make Christmas ornaments for their children and grandchildren. Felix, a skilled woodworker, cut the shape of wooden ornaments, and Barbara thoughtfully painted holiday figures. These beautiful ornaments adorn the Christmas trees of her children and grandchildren and serve as tender reminders of her love every holiday season.
A devout Catholic, Barbara dedicated much of her life to activities at St. Paschal Baylon Catholic Church in Thousand Oaks. She taught religious education to first- and eighth-grade students for eight years, served on the parish bereavement team preparing and coordinating funeral reception meals, attended Bible studies, and served the parish at Lenten fish fry nights (even though she never enjoyed the taste of fish). Her deepest love serving the church was the 26 years spent visiting hospitalized Catholics bringing Holy Communion, praying, and providing companionship for them. She also served for three years as a team member in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) program, supporting adults entering the Catholic faith. Barbara was a person of compassion and mercy who warmed every room she entered.
Barbara's desire to serve her community extended beyond her parish. Barbara served on the Ventura County Grand Jury in 1984 and 1985 and was on the Board of Directors for Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank. When her husband, Felix, served as Rotary District Governor from 2000 to 2001, Barbara accompanied him across California. At every Rotary club in District 5240, she gave a speech to Rotary members about the importance of fellowship and hope. Barbara traveled the world with Felix to ten Rotary International Conventions and events, supporting international goodwill and service. This included administering polio vaccines to children in India and hosting Rotarians from Japan, Italy, India, Korea, and Africa. She treasured these years of local and international community service.
Barbara will be remembered for her cheerful spirit, her warm smile, and her ability to make everyone feel welcome. She had a great sense of humor, endless patience, and always found the best in people. Her legacy of love lives on in every life she touched. She will be remembered as a beautiful soul who brought light into the hearts of everyone she met.
Barbara is survived by her beloved husband, Felix G. Masci, and her four sons and their wives: Joe and Mary, Chris and Valerie, Felix and Amber, and David and Kathryn. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Joe and Mary's children, Matthew, Jennifer, Stephanie and her husband Christian, Joshua and Jacob; Chris' children, Erik and his wife Krista, and Lorrin; and David and Kathryn's children, Alex and Jack.
She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, and her grandson Timothy and granddaughter Kathrine.
A funeral Mass will be held at St. Paschal Baylon Catholic Church, 155 East Janss Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, on Friday, January 2, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., with a reception to follow in the church hall.
Barbara's ashes will be interred on Saturday, January 3, 2026, at 10 AM at Assumption Cemetery in Simi Valley, California.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA, an organization dedicated to person-to-person service for those in need: https://ssvpusa.org/.
Barbara was a friend to all and will be deeply missed.