Barbara Florence Furlong née Gage of New London, NH, died on Sunday, December 1, 2013 after enduring Alzheimer’s disease. She was 78.

 

She was born on October 3, 1935 in Leyton, England to William Gage and ElizabethWilloughby. She married John W. Furlong on September 1, 1956, at Holy Trinity Church in Leytonstone, England. They moved to Boston and then Framingham, Mass. in 1958.

 

Barbara worked at Coopers & Lybrand and the English Speaking Union in Boston before raising her children. She volunteered for the Channel 2 Auction and later worked for the Boston Ballet.

 

In 1997, after 29 years in Framingham, she and John moved to New London, NH.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her son, Alexander. She is survived by husband John W. Furlong, daughter Jennie Furlong O’Brien; son Peter G Furlong and his wife, Julie Wyma; grandchildren Liam O'Brien and Barbara Furlong; sister and family Margaret and Zoë; brother and family Ken, Ivy, Pam and her husband Tony, and Liz; and the many dear friends all over the world who were considered family. 

There are so many memories about Barbara that will be remembered by those who loved her. She enjoyed baking shortbread at Christmas time and sending them to friends far and wide, crossword puzzles were a favourite, gardening (but not weeding), reading, opera, classical music, jazz, and big band, musical theatre, shoes, needlepoint, trivia (of which she was the reigning champion in the family), tennis, traveling, the fine arts, and Framingham Bakery were among some of her favourite things.

 

She was an avid supporter of the BSO, Boston Ballet, MFA Boston, Revels, Mass. Audubon Society, Perkins School for the Blind, and WGBH (with Robert J Lurtsema in the mornings and Ron Della Chiesa in the afternoons and working at the WGBH Auction at Pick Up and Pay), WCRB, and WBUR.

 

A cup of tea was the answer to all. Unless it was summer and hot, then a Gin & Tonic would d the trick.