Longtime Woburn Resident Remembered for 'Overwhelming Strength'

When her youngest child started school, Barbara used her telephone operator skills to obtain a job at Sears at the Burlington Mall manning their switchboard. The automation of business telephone systems caused a career change and Barbara began working at Salter Healthcare as the payroll administer for 3 nursing homes until her retirement in 2001.

Barbara was an avid sports fan and loved to watch all of the Boston teams particularly the Red Sox World Series win this year. Family visiting her home would always find her watching some sporting event on TV.

Throughout her adult life she participated in bowling leagues, playing in weekly card games and traveling with "the girls". She also enjoyed bingo and going to Foxwoods. When her daughters were young, she was a Camp Fire Girls assistant leader and enjoyed being with the girls to experience new adventures. Even though those were happy times for Barbara, when she was asked "What was the happiest day of your life?" Her response was "I had five happiest days - when each of my children were born." The joy she received from her family was all she asked for or needed from life.

Barbara's overwhelming strength of character was tested greatly twice in her life. First when she lost her husband unexpectedly due to a heart attack in 1966 leaving her to raise 5 children - the oldest being 12 years and the youngest 2 months old. The second test came when she lost her son Robert, unexpectedly due to a car accident in 1980. She never wavered in the face of this great adversity and was tremendously admired for her ability to stay strong, move past the grief and continue on with life.

Barbara taught her children by example; always work hard, treat others as you would like to be treated, be generous whenever possible, save for a rainy day, and don't be too hard on yourself when things don't go right - there is always tomorrow and a chance to do better.

Barbara is survived by her loving and devoted children, Edward W. Kane and his companion Karen Ciaramitaro of Woburn, Teresa M. Keehn - Wing and her husband Ronald Wing of Woburn, Karen Grovogel of Wisconsin, James E. Kane and his wife Kerry of Westford,. She was the loving grandmother of Christina Le and her husband Tan, Michael Kane and his wife Julie, Corey Keehn and his companion Jenn Wilson, Angela Wolf and her husband Rick, Kevin Mitchell, Brandon Grovogel, Max, Elliot, Billie and Fillicity Kane. Loving great grandmother of Syryth and Noryann Mitchell, Sofia and Neko Le, Henry Gilson IV, and Isabella Anderson. Sister of the late Margaret E. Carlin, Alice M. Gill, Ruth E. Ahern, and Paul E. Flynn. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held from the McLaughlin - Dello Russo Funeral Home, 60 Pleasant St., WOBURN, Thursday, December 5th, at 9 a.m. followed by a funeral mass celebrated in St. Charles Borromeo Church, 280 Main St., Woburn, at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours at the McLaughlin - Dello Russo Funeral Home will be held on Wednesday from 4 thru 8 p.m. Services will conclude with burial at Calvary Cemetery, Woburn. It has been requested that in lieu of flowers donations may be made in Barbara's memory to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000 Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101-9908. To leave an online message of condolence please visit www.dellorusso.net