Barbara June (Brown) Waitt

Barbara June Waitt, 90, former longtime resident of Ipswich, passed away on Thursday, September 3, 2020 at Evolve Memory Care in Rye, New Hampshire after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s.

Born on December 18, 1929 in Lynn, she was the daughter of the late Eric and Emma (Sullivan) Brown. Barb attended Breed Junior High School, graduated from Lynn Classical High School with the Class of 1947 and went on to graduate from Salem State Teachers College with a Bachelor of Science degree in teaching. She met her husband Bill while attending college and were married on August 18, 1951. They enjoyed fifty-seven years of love and adventure.

At the beginning of her career Barbara taught in Gloucester, then became a long-term substitute teacher in the Ipswich School System.

Barbara enjoyed national and international travel and was an avid gardener both of vegetables (which fed her large family) and flowers. She was a talented seamstress as well as a prolific quilter (she earned a blue ribbon and was highlighted in a National Quilt Magazine). She was also a member of the Mayflower Quilters and graced many friends and family members with her quilts. She had a long volunteer career with the Girl Scouts of America and for many years served as a Cookie chairwoman. A white dogwood was planted at the Ipswich Public Library in recognition of her many years of service.

She was a faithful servant of Christ, both attending and singing in her church choir at First Church in Ipswich. She was a long-time member of the Newburyport Choral Society. Barb also loved being part of the Ipswich Summer Theater with the special fondness for the Gilbert and Sullivan performances.

Barbara is survived by four daughters, Susan E. Neal of Exeter NH, Nancy E. Rosemore and her husband Jeff of Crosby MN, Marian E. Tatarczuk and her husband Steve of Nottingham, NH, Sarah A. Berry and her husband Brandon of Barrington, NH; three sons, William E. Waitt and his wife Claudia of Manchester NH, Douglas E. Waitt and his wife Christine of Ipswich and John E. Waitt and his wife Georgia of Amesbury.

She was a beloved Nana of twenty-six grandchildren and twenty-five great grandchildren. In addition to her parents and her devoted husband William, she was predeceased by her only sibling, Douglas; infant daughter, Martha, and son in-law Alden “Pat” Neal. Her family would like to thank the many staff at Evolve Memory Care in Rye who supported her these many years. 

Private arrangements are under the direction of the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home of Ipswich. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in her name may be made to First Church in Ipswich, Memorial Committee, 1 Meetinghouse Green, Ipswich, MA 01938, the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011 or by planting flowers in the remembrance of Barb.

- E-mail a condolence for family members -