Barbara Margaret Prestia

Barbara Margaret Dudley was born on Staten Island on June 26, 1937 to Charles Dudley & Elsie Epple as the younger sister of Doris, (Honey). Raised Catholic, the sisters attended Catholic school. Growing up in the Highland Blvd neighborhood, Barbara and her sister were surrounded by grandmothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins. While growing up, Barbara enjoyed swimming, music, dancing, & learning to play the Gibson guitar. In her late teens and early 20s, Barbara began a career at IBM on Governor’s Island, requiring many modes of transportation, including a ferry of course. She began as a stenographer and typist and always welcomed an opportunity to advance. On September 27, 1958 Barbara Dudley was wed to John Anthony Prestia. They began their marriage in South Beach, living with her mother-in-law, Nancy Prestia.. Before their first child, Madeline was born in 1961, they purchased a fixer-upper on Stone St and at the behest of her husband, resigned from IBM. Four years later came the birth of Vincent and soon thereafter a move to Sayville where three years later, Barbara (Babs) was born. In 1969 the family moved to Center Moriches, where they raised their family & joined the Holiday Beach club. During this time Barbara wrote weekly columns for the Suffolk Times, drove a school bus, and became a realtor. In 1988 John & Vincent built a home in Cutchogue and the family now consisting of the two youngest siblings moved to the North Fork. During this time Barbara earned her broker’s license, sold her last property in 2017 and two years following 57 years of marriage. Barbara enjoyed and remained in her Cutchogue home until a fall in 2020 put her in rehab and subsequently assisted-living at San Simeon by the Sound until her passing on June 12, 2024. Barbara is survived by her daughters Madeline Prestia, Barbara & husband Hoi Ngyuen and son, Vincent Prestia & wife Margaret, and four grandchildren Danielle Sugrue, Matthew Prestia, Belinda Nguyen and Andrew Nguyen.