Barbara Rose (Englehardt) Holmes passed from this life on October 19, 2016 just 2 days after her 96th birthday on October 17.  She was born in 1920 the daughter of the late Theodore F. Englehardt and Marion B. (Clough) Englehardt.

Barbara graduated from Greenfield High School in 1938 where she excelled in the top of her class. She was an Essay Contest Winner and a member of Delta Sigma Rho participating as a cast member in their plays. She worked at the local F.W. Woolworth Co where Stanley K Holmes would woo her to win over her heart. They spent the following 4 years together until Stanley enlisted in the US Army in March 1942.

Stanley returned in October 1942 on military leave so they could be married on October 12, 1942 in St. Mary’s Church (now Our Lady of Peace) in Turners Falls. This year they would have celebrated their 74th wedding anniversary had he not sadly pre-deceased her on August 27th.

Barbara worked as a secretary and court clerk for Atty. Willard O. Seibert and later at the Greenfield Tap & Die as a secretary for Louis Edes during World War II.  After Stanley’s return from the service in November 1945 she settled down to married life caring for several of his nieces when needed and starting their own family.

Barbara later worked at Yetter the Florist in their original location on Bernardston Road and later at their larger store making bows and corsages for mother’s events at Stoneleigh Burnham School and Northfield Mt Hermon School for Girls as well as for Easter and other holidays. She said Stanley always loved when she came home smelling of flowers!

After the birth of her two children she worked as a medical secretary for Dr. Philip Woodbridge, anesthesiologist at Franklin County Public Hospital. The hospital then hired Dr. Ann S. Howard to join him who became a “member of the family” as she came to this area alone. In later years other anesthesiologists joined them to form Greenfield Anesthesiology Services where she worked until November 1982 when she was “retired”  by her daughter to be able to spend time with Stanley upon his retirement from the Recorder Gazette.

Family summer vacations were spent at Pop Devito’s cabins in Wells Beach, ME  and other friends and family members would join them there.

Both she and Stanley spent many years enjoying their children participating with them in their activities.

After leaving St. Mary’s Church they became members and communicants of Blessed Sacrament Church where she also sang in the St Cecelia choir. She also worked for many years with Stanley at the voting polling station at Greenfield High School, at the Greenfield Transfer Station’s Take it or Leave It Store and the Chamber of Commerce visitor’s center.

She fondly talked about her many excursions to Granby, Quebec visiting family who raised her mother as a child. From birth until 1987 she lived on Canada Hill in Greenfield and would recount many of her memories growing up there.

She and Stanley were members of Oak Ridge Golf Club in Gill, MA and enjoyed many golfing trips to Bermuda with friends. She was also a member of the Board of Organized Work at Franklin County Public Hospital for over 25 years in the gift shop as a scheduler for volunteers and tirelessly made hundreds of wallpaper gift boxes. She sang in a few numbers at the last BOOW Follies. She loved crewel work where her perfectionism is shown in her many wall hangings. 
Ever the perfectionist (which was either a result of who she was or from her love of whatever she did) she had the ability to make “the meat & potatoes & vegetables come out at the same time” -- mirroring her work ethic.  She was never late to a meeting or an appointment and always offered her assistance and gave of herself when the need arose. She was lauded for her delicious fruit salad at the Holmes family picnics.

Barbara was proud of her “Clough” heritage and was a member of the John Clough Genealogical Society. She was the “go to” person for both her lineage and Stanley’s for information and photos sharing this with anyone who was in need.

Barbara leaves her younger sister, Claire (Englehardt) Macewicz of Prescott Valley, AZ and was able to surprise her on her 90th birthday in February 2013 -- a trip they both memorably enjoyed.

She also leaves her daughter, Shirley Holmes of Erving, MA and her son Donald Holmes of Rocky Hill, CT. In addition she leaves her granddaughter Malenia (Sibley) Carroll and her husband Eric of Nashville, TN and their children (her great-grandsons) Emmett  & Connor who she adored and her granddaughter Sarah Holmes of Rocky Hill, CT.  She also leaves several cousins, nieces and nephews.

As both Barbara and Stanley were cremated there will be a double burial on Saturday, November 19, 2016. The family will be available for condolences from 9:00-10:00AM at Blessed Sacrament Church, Federal Street, Greenfield which will be followed by a Mass at 10:00. Burial will follow at St. Anne’s Cemetery in Turners Falls.

The family would like to thank the second floor staff at Buckley Nursing Home, Laurel Street, Greenfield, MA for the loving care they gave to her and Stanley for the two plus years that they were residents there together.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the Baystate Franklin Auxiliary Gift Shop c/o Baystate Franklin Medical Center, 164 High Street, Greenfield, MA.