Barbara Jeanne Prince

She was born on December 14, 1938 in Elizabeth, NJ and is the daughter of Warren Tilson Scott and Marjorie Jeannette Nelson Scott, formerly of Mountainside, NJ. Barbara graduated from Battin High School in Elizabeth, NJ and then furthered her education by graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from Bethany College in 1960. She taught fourth grade in the Plainfield, NJ school system and later did some substitute teaching in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system.

She was adored by her husband, Art Prince, who asked her to go steady shortly after meeting her the first time during her freshmen year of college. Art wrote his mother after the 2nd date that he found the girl he was going to marry. He also bribed a fellow student to sit in Barbara’s seat at weekly convocation so that she would have to take the seat next to Art. They went on to date steady all four years at Bethany College where she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha fraternity and was the sweetheart (KA Rose) of his Kappa Alpha fraternity. Barbara spent 72 days on travel abroad to Europe (college tour) in her junior year of college. Her boyfriend wrote her a letter every day and she received them throughout her travels. When asked by their children how she received a letter at each location we learned that Dad knew her itinerary and had sent them on ahead to make sure she knew he was thinking about her. Art even stayed back an extra year at college for her. Barbara and Art were married Christmas Eve and honeymooned in the Poconos. They were to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary later this year. Over the years the Princes lived in various places in New Jersey including Plainfield, Chatham, Basking Ridge, and later settled down in Charlotte, NC in 1972 and have been here ever since.

The joy of Barbara’s life was her family. Having been a teacher at heart she was always working with us at home on reading and writing and loved helping us with history projects. She always took the time to have one on one time with each of us growing up and made sure we got a book read and a kiss goodnight. If you were lucky to spend the night at our house you probably got one too. Holidays and birthdays were special events at our house and that love was passed onto her own children. Phone calls from her usually started with “Hi this is Mom,” as if somehow, we did not recognize this woman’s voice on the phone and always ended with, “I love you - will talk to you later and bye bye.” Our mom always ended our calls stating that she loved us as if we did not know that from all the years she had poured it into us.

Barbara did have interests outside her home and family. If shopping was a sport she would have lettered in it. Mom was always coming home from the store with something in a bag. It was her favorite pastime. I think it gave her special time just for herself. Her son-in-laws will tell you that her daughters come by it naturally. You knew it was her when she was out and about when you saw that special license plate tag on the back of her car that read “BJ&Art”. The loving nicknames of our parents. She loved playing tennis and could be found playing doubles at the Huntingtowne Farms Tennis & Swim Club or later at the indoor courts. Barbara had a mean volley and back hand swing and heaven help you if she was playing up at the net. Additionally, she had two bridge groups she was actively involved in with friendships she fostered for years as well as her involvement with her swim friends at Marion Diehl pool. We lovingly called her the social butterfly. She participated in the New Neighbors League and Huntingtowne Farms Neighborhood Luncheon group over the years and also enjoyed her time and friendships made in the social organization, Red Hat Society. Barbara was also the scorekeeper for her daughter’s softball teams for 8 years and was both a Girl Scout & Cub Scout Troop Leader.

Our mother was a lover of history and country. She could talk you a blue streak about genealogy and usually did at holidays and birthday parties which we adored and looked forward to. Our parents traveled around the US unlocking our family’s history. She longed to know who came before her and honoring their memory. Barbara was a docent at the Hezekiah Alexander Home and the Mint Museum in Charlotte which are preserved through the efforts of the area chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution whom she was a member of. She was an active member of the National Society Colonial Dames 17th Century where she held various positions including President of the Governor John Archdale chapter and also belonged to the National Society Daughters of the American Colonists.

Barbara loved to travel like her parents. Her children lovingly nicknamed their parents the Griswolds from the Vacation movies if that gives you a sense of their adventures. As a family they would travel in the pop-up camper and later the travel trailer being pulled by a very yellow suburban. We loved our annual summer vacations to Myrtle Beach, SC but also visited almost every state park across the continental United States and even spent 90 days traveling our country and into Mexico and Canada. My parents also loved to travel up to the New England area. In later years, our parents had travels to Alaska (cruise and land tour) and internationally on a Baltic Sea cruise (Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Norway, Russia, Scotland), European land tour (England, Germany, Switzerland, Italy), Panama Canal (both ways), Bermuda, Jamaica, Caribbean Islands, and Bahamas.

Barbara’s love of children and teaching lent itself to her starting a pre-school program (Mothers Morning Out) at various churches in the Charlotte area including Sharon Presbyterian Church where we attended, as well as Quail Hollow Presbyterian Church.

My mother never met a stranger as she would be the first person to start a conversation in line and she genuinely wanted to know you. You were lucky if you got her annual Christmas card as she had great penmanship and could write the nicest thank you notes you ever received. She was an amazing cook and loved to make cakes for her friends on special occasions. We will truly miss her rum cake, ice-box cake, and Christmas cookies as well as her picture taking abilities. We will also miss her letters and love notes we received in the mail monthly with articles she thought we would enjoy or help us somehow as well as coupons and box tops for education for our children’s schools.

She is survived by her loving husband Arthur E. Prince, Jr, and their three children, Cheryl Lynn Verrico and husband Steve of Waxhaw, NC, Virginia “Ginger” Lee Villanti, and husband Tom of Huntersville, NC, and Andrew Scott Prince and his fiancé Janae of Pineville, NC. She always said how lucky she was to have her 3 children living close by so that allowed her quality time with her 6 grandchildren who are Jacqueline Verrico, Bethany Villanti, Brett Verrico, Jillian Villanti, Theresa Clark, and Amber Prince. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Edythe Krape of Stuart, FL and many nieces and nephews who loved Aunt Barbara.

“Nana,” as she was called by her youngest fans, loved her grandchildren and they adored her. You could find her over the years at graduations of various grade levels, watching school theatre performances, chorus, and band concerts, HYAA and LNC basketball games, soccer games as well as even attending a mother’s day tea when her grandchild’s mother was away on a business trip. She was the instant babysitter when needed and traveled to Virginia and stayed for several weeks to assist her daughters after the birth of her grandchildren. We were fortunate to spend quality time as a family over the years almost every month as there was always a special birthday or family event or holiday to celebrate.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Barbara’s honor to the organizations she supported including Wounded Warriors (www.support.woundedwarriorproject.org) or Crisis Assistance Ministry (www.crisisassistance.org). Her daughter is also very active with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society whom Barbara supported annually through the Light the Night walk (www.lls.org).

On-line condolences may be shared at www.mcewenpinevillechapel.com.