Barbara Virginia (Meads) Fitzmaurice

Barbara Virginia Fitzmaurice passed away peacefully at the age of 94 on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, surrounded by her family at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Barbara was born to Frank Flavel Meads and Dorothy (Alward) Meads in April of 1928 in Portsmouth, NH, one year before the Great Depression. One of her early memories is babysitting for the children of the Celtics legendary center Bill Russell.

After graduating from Malden High School in 1947 she became an accomplished pianist, studying at the New England Conservatory. Barbara met her former husband, Raymond Francis Fitzmaurice, while she was working as a librarian at MIT in 1950 and they raised a family in Wilmington, Massachusetts. In 1970 she settled in Bourne on Cape Cod and purchased a house at a time when most women did not even have their own credit. She remained in her home for all of her remaining 50 years.

Barbara worked at the Falmouth Public Library for 20 years and while there was instrumental in helping create a union for workers rights. During this time, she also volunteered at the Falmouth Theatre Guild and worked on over 50 shows in three decades in roles including producer, publicist and board member.

As a champion for rights of the elderly she was involved in educating against ageism and helped create curriculum and videos including a film that aired on local television, highlighting people who remain active in their later years. Barbara and her son, Scott, worked together in philanthropy and also founded a non-profit, “Gardening for Food” which Barbara continued for 30 years out of her home, providing resources and teaching people of low-income to successfully grow their own vegetables. She also was very active in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Falmouth.

She is survived by her four children: Brian Keith Fitzmaurice and his wife, Misa, of San Mateo, CA, Kevin Scott Fitzmaurice and his significant other, Tracy Gould, of San Bruno, CA, Deanne Rae Fitzmaurice and spouse Kurt Rogers, of San Anselmo, CA and Scott Alan Fitzmaurice of Pocasset, MA. She is survived by her brother Bradley Meads, two grandchildren Jeff Parker and his wife Alina, Jason Forrest and his wife Tanya, five great-grandchildren Presley Forrest, Evan Forrest, Alex Forrest, Nicole Forrest and Sofia Parker. She is also survived by the Peter Aleo family. Barbara’s cause of death is Cardiac Amyloidosis.

There will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday April 8, 2023 at 1:00pm, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 840 Sandwich Rd, East Falmouth, MA 02536.

Please RSVP at; [email protected]

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Barbara’s legacy philanthropic “Gardening for Food” fund at https://www.capecodfoundation.org/portfolio/gardening-for-food-fund/