Barbara Harlow Alexander

7/7/1937 - 4/30/2023

Gales Ferry - Barbara Harlow Alexander, age 85, widow of Commander Richard K. Alexander (USN Retired), died Sunday, April 30, 2023, from complications of heart failure at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven. She was born in Frankfurt, Ind., July 7, 1937, the daughter of Lucile (Heimberger) and Ray Harlow. She grew up in Swarthmore, Pa., where she graduated from Swarthmore High School, Class of 1955.

After high school, she attended the University of Vermont in Montpelier, Vt., for one year. She worked at the Inglenook Restaurant in Swarthmore, Pa., and for Gulf Oil in Philadelphia.

Barbara and Richard were married June 7, 1958, three days after he graduated from the United States Naval Academy. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a family trip to Mexico, in July 2008. At Richard's death in 2013, they had been married for almost 55 years. Due to Richard's naval orders, Barbara coordinated moving the family and household belongings 13 times over 15 years, from 1959 to 1974: New London, San Diego, Calif., Charleston, S.C., Holy Loch, Scotland, Gales Ferry, Chesapeake, Va., Monterey, Calif., and finally back to Gales Ferry.

Barbara was a local real estate agent for Anne McBride Realty, Coldwell Banker and Allied Brokers. She was also a co-business owner of the Shelter Shoppe Real Estate Company in Gales Ferry, and the owner of a gift shop called Floral Keepsakes in Mystic. She opened her own creative business preserving bridal bouquets, also by the name of Floral Keepsakes, for many years.

She was an active member of the Gales Ferry United Methodist Church since 1974, and served as financial secretary for many years. After Richard's retirement, together they enjoyed visiting places around the world such as Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, Egypt, the Caribbean, Ireland, Russia, Scandinavia, the Mediterranean, the Panama Canal, Mexico, and South America.

She is survived by four children: daughter Nancy Oaks, her husband Brian of Tolland and their children, Emily of West Hartford, and Ian of Fenton, Mich.; daughter Judy Marano, her husband Sal of Marlborough, and their children, Erica of Waterbury, Vt., and Ryan of Springfield, Mass.; son Scott, his wife Annette and their children, Rachel/Dan and Nathan of Colchester; and daughter Deborah Iannacito, her husband Tom and their daughters, Stephanie and Danielle of Torrington, and his daughter Marisa of New Windsor, N.Y. She was predeceased by a granddaughter, Rebecca. She is also survived by a sister, Beverly (Harlow) Stewart of Hammonton, N.J.

The family sincerely appreciates the outstanding care and support provided by Dr. Michael Nanna and nurses, Josephine and Rod in the cardiac ICU at Yale New Haven Hospital to Barbara and her family during her brief hospitalization.

A celebration of Barbara's life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 24, at the Gales Ferry United Methodist Church, 10 Chapman Lane, Gales Ferry. Burial will be private at the United States Naval Academy Columbarium in Annapolis, Md. There will be no calling hours. Funeral arrangements are being coordinated by Byles Memorial Home, 99 Huntington Street, New London. Please visit www.byles.com to sign the guestbook. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10306 and/or the Gales Ferry United Methodist Church.