Barbara A. (Sklarz) Martel, 76, wife of James
L. Martel, passed away
peacefully in her Ipswich home surrounded by her loving family
on Sunday, January 31, 2016.
The “Big Brave Dog” continued a lengthy battle
of small cell lung cancer for more than a year and half during which
time she was able
to provide additional long-lasting memories for her family. She
will be remembered for her courageous fight to the bitter end.
Barbara was born in Ipswich May 17, 1939, the daughter of Alexander and Pauline Sklarz.
She was educated in and was a lifelong resident of Ipswich. Barbara was a
longtime
member of the St. Lawrence Literary Society, playing an essential
part in resurrecting the annual
Polish Picnic in Ipswich. She was a strong supporter of
the International Supermodified Association (ISMA), following her
husband and sons in auto racing all across the country. Barbara was
an integral part of the Ipswich community but most of all, a loving
wife, mother, grandmother, Babci, mother-in-law, daughter, sister,
sister-in-law, aunt and godmother.
In addition to James, her high school
sweetheart and husband for over sixty years, BAM is survived by five children, Cheryl Martel and
her partner Chuck Handley, Marci Wile and her husband Rande, Lori
Martel, J. Scott Martel and his wife Kathy, and Keith Martel; seven
grandchildren, Amanda Riddle,
Colby, Cassie and Caila Gorniewicz, Ashley Roes and her wife Katie,
Paige Proctor, Jaime and Brooke Martel, and one
great-grandchild, Zoe Clarke. She is also survived by her siblings and their
spouses, Eleanor Reilly, Edward and Janet Sklarz, Carol Anne Collum,
Sandy and Donnie Bayley, David and Lisa Sklarz, Nancy Lavoie, Joey
and Candy Sklarz, sister-in-law Linda Mueller, and lastly, many nieces and nephews
and their children who
were very close to their Aunty Barbara. Barbara will now join her
late sister
Cynthia and brother-in-laws Joseph Reilly, Richard Collum, Gunter
Mueller and Arthur (Junior) Martel.
Her funeral
will be held at 8 am Saturday February 6 from the Whittier-Porter
Funeral Home, 6 High Street, Ipswich, followed by the celebration of
a Funeral Mass in Our Lady of Hope Church, 1
Pineswamp Road, Ipswich, at 9
am. Family and friends are respectfully welcomed. Visiting hours
will be Friday from 4 to 8pm. Memorial contributions in her name may be made
to Care Dimensions, Suite B-102, 75 Sylvan
Street, Danvers, Massachusetts 01923.
