Obituary of Catherine Verna (Goodell) Barba

Catherine Verna (Goodell) Barba, 86, of Florida and formerly of Peabody, died Friday morning at Citrus Memorial Hospital in Lecanta Florida following a brief illness. She was the devoted wife of the late Louis Barba. Born in Emmitsbury, Maryland, she was the daughter of the late John and Louise (Logan) Goodell. She was raised and educated in Peabody and was a graduate of Peabody High School in 1935. Upon marrying her husband, she lived in Boston from 1971 until his death in 1974; she lived in West Roxbury from 1974 until 1986 and for the previous last 19 years has lived in Beverly Hills, Florida. She worked at the N.E. Telephone Company in Salem and Boston for a career total of 38 years. She also was a veteran on World War II who served with the Women’ s Army Corps from August 1943 until January 1946. She served in the Military Intelligence in Arlington Virginia were she earned the nickname Goody and made many lifelong friends. While in Florida, she volunteered with the Hospice of Citrus County Programs for over twelve years where she hand made over 1000 hug-a-bears to give to the grieving children until her recent illness. In addition to the bears, Mrs. Barba wrote several articles for her local paper, The Beverly Hills Visitor, concerning cultural events and noteworthy citizens. She was a member of many organizations including the Telephone Pioneers, the Beverly Hills Singles Club, the Beverly Hills Garden Club and until two years ago, the WOW Watch Out for Wimbledon, tennis groups of Beverly Hills where she played tennis until she was 85. She also was a member of the United Residence Club and Catholic Women’ s Club. She was a communicant at Our Lady of Grace Church, where she served as an usher. She donated too many charities, especially the Hospice of Citrus County. She is survived by her cousins, Joan Bailey and her husband Robert of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Susan Kellar of Salem, Suzanne Carranza and her husband Ralph and son, Diego of El Paso, TX; Kristen Gittings-Lee and her husband Mike Lee and their son Lars Gittings of Big Fork, Montana, Patricia Murphy and Peter Murphy of Newburyport, a niece Louise Barba of Rhode Island and a close friend Betty McGivers of Florida. She was the sister of the late William Goodell Her funeral service will be held on Thursday at St. John the Baptist Church, Peabody at 11:00 AM, preceded by a visitation at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 20 Church St., Peabody Facility, at 10:00 AM Burial in St. Mary’ s Cemetery, Salem