Obituary of Barbara Jean Calabrese
Barbara Jean Calabrese of West Wardsboro, VT, formerly of Boonton Township, NJ, passed away peacefully Friday afternoon, the 10th of November 2023, at the Jack Byrne Palliative Care Center in Dartmouth, NH.
She was born Barbara Jean Shank in July 1939, to George and Catherine (O’Connor) Shank, the youngest of four siblings, George, Harry, and Margret. She graduated from Morristown High School and went on to become a registered nurse. Barbara was married to Second Lieutenant William Hoos in the summer of 1962, and she was widowed on February 14th, 1966, becoming a Gold Star Wife with two young children, Bill and Terri.
On a blind date arranged by the daycare counselor, Barbara met a handsome widower, Robert Calabrese, with three daughters, Eleanor, Patti, and Joanie. The love birds were married in 1968 and settled their family in Boonton Twp NJ, and together they added the youngest to the clan, Christopher.
She and Bob moved to West Wardsboro VT in 2006 where she lived until her passing. Barbara, Beej, BJ, Barb, Gram, Gooby, and, most affectionately, Sarge had many passions - family, friends, helping others, volunteering, antiques, flowers, quilting, organizing, entertaining family and friends with open house Christmas Eves and pool parties on Kingsland Rd, to ski weekends and summer barbeques in Podunk, VT. She had a passion for life and lived it well.
Rest in peace Mom, you will always be missed and never forgotten.
Barbara is survived by her children, Eleanor and husband Rich; Patti; Joanie and husband Brent; Bill and wife Agathe; Terri and husband Patrick; and Chris and wife Cara; her grandchildren, Melissa, Stephen, Kimmie, Katie, Alec, Malia, Brian, Olivia, Andrew, Emma, Ben, and Charlie; and her great-grandchildren, Goldie and Cam.
Services were private and arranged by Codey & Mackey Funeral Home of Boonton. To share condolences with the family please visit CodeyMackeyFH.com.
