Barbara Louise (Turner) Emmith, 81, of Newburyport, passed away peacefully on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22, at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers with her loving children by her side. Barbara was born July 28, 1937 in Beverly, MA; she was the beloved and devoted daughter of the late Albert P. Turner Sr. and Katherine A. (Rackliffe) Turner. Barbara graduated from Beverly High School, Class of 1955 and worked as an x-ray technician at Beverly Hospital.
Barbara married her husband of 56 years, William H. Emmith in 1962 and moved to Newburyport with their two boys in 1964. Barbara was a stay at home mom for a number of years and after raising her four children, adding two daughters along the way, she went to work at Anna Jaques Hospital in 1975 where she was the receptionist at the laboratory for over 20 years. Barbara was well known to colleagues and patients alike as one of the friendliest people to ever grace AJH.
She greeted everyone with a warm smile, a happy hello and very often a hug, and befriended all those she met. Barbara will forever be remembered as a loving wife and mother, famous in the Rawson Ave neighborhood for her “always full” chocolate chip cookie bucket. But nothing gave Barbara greater joy than becoming a grandmother in 1981 and eventually welcoming 13 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, with a third due in June.
She was devoted to her family and friends, always there for everyone and often dropped everything to run to someone’s aid. She was quite simply…. the best!
Having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in January of 2014, Barbara’s family has been devastated watching her disappear from them piece by piece. Despite the effects of this horrible and unfair disease, Barbara will always be remembered for her welcoming smile, warm hugs, kind heart, contagious laugh and generous spirit. Her legacy lives on further with the dozens and dozens of prayer shawls she knit for so many people over the years.
She prayed for whoever the recipient was, whether it was a family member, a friend, friend of a friend, or a complete stranger she had met along the way. Those who received them felt truly blessed. Left to cherish all the wonderful memories are her husband Bill of Newburyport; her four children and their spouses, David and Maria Emmith of Stafford, VA, Mark and Karen Emmith of Byfield, Christine and Daniel Brown of Newbury, and Diane and Jeffrey Maguire of Newburyport: her 13 grandchildren, Nicole and Craig Bodycombe, Bryan, Zachary, Kirsten and Spencer Emmith, Samantha, Mackenzie and Peyton Maguire, Hayley, Joshua and Cassidy Brown; and Ian and Kirsten Kitchens; her two great-grandchildren, Ethan and Vivian Bodycome; her brother and sister-in-law (sisters at heart), Albert P. Turner Jr. and Charlotte Turner of East Hartford, CT and their two children, Cheryl Rappolt of Royal Palm Beach, FL and Russell Turner of Ellington, CT and their families; her aunt, Carol Barry of Reading; her dear cousin, Maureen Barry of Melrose; her former daughter-in-law, Katherine Weber Emmith Dallos of Woodbridge, VA with whom she shared a very special bond; her two bonus granddaughters, Danielle Warhall and Brianne Consentino, and her devoted best friends who were by her side throughout, Patrice Murphy, Marianne Thurlow and Laurie DeSesa.
The family wishes to thank Avita of Newburyport for the loving care they provided Barbara for two years and the amazing staff of the Kaplan Family Hospice House where her final days were spent in peace and comfort with her family. Family and friends may call at the Twomey, LeBlanc, & Conte Funeral Home, 193 High St, Newburyport, MA on Friday, November 30, 2018 from 4-8 p.m. Parking is available behind the Funeral Home. Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Church, Green St, Newburyport, MA.
Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in Barbara’s name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or Kaplan Family Hospice House, online or payable to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan St, Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923.
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