Barbara M. Cleary died peacefully with family gathered by her side on Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at her home in Palm Beach, Florida after a long and resilient struggle with Parkinson’s disease. She was 85.
Born on July 20, 1929 in Malden she was a daughter of the late John T. and M. Edna (Flynn) Coliton. Raised and educated in Malden, she was a child of the greatest generation that encompassed a time in history of the Great Depression and World Wars and it had an impact on her life. She remained grateful her entire life for opportunities and was mindful of her beginnings in which she never took anything for granted and treasured her relationships with family and friends. The familiar adage ‘life was simpler back then’ proved true for Barbara. Her family and friends sat in the family parlor on Charles Street in Malden playing the piano and harmonized the hit tunes of the day. She also was never adverse to finding a bargain and making a treasure. She graduated from Girls Catholic High School in Malden and went onto received a junior degree in business from the Wyndam School. Barbara had a keen interest and natural talent in fashion and décor from an early age. Her career began at Jordan Marsh Department Stores where she quickly climbed to lead buyer in the bridal and designer departments.
On a blind date she met James F. Cleary at the Parker House in Boston and they later married at Saint Clement Eucharistic Shrine in Boston in 1961. Jim frequently recounted that he fell in love with Barbara the moment he saw her and walk into the dining room that evening. She and Jim loved life and loved entertaining as much. Perhaps a modern day Grace Kelly she was a beautiful, elegant and sophisticated woman and a gracious host whose parties were often the talk of the town. Her beauty was mirrored in the sweet, generous and loving ways in which she lived her day to day life. With her flair for fashion and decorating she and Jim often hosted parties with colored themes, music and bands including the Boston Pops, Lester Lannin and Alex Donner. They travelled the world extensively. Her husband was president of Blyth, Eastman Dillon & Co in New York and later a managing director of Paine Webber and advisory director of UBS in Boston. After 51 years of marriage he died on February 26, 2012. They shared their time between Boston, Cape Cod and Palm Beach, Florida.
Barbara lived with the notion that we give without remembering and take without forgetting while mindful of where we each come from. She strived to live her life in the image of God. She was very involved in various organizations with her late husband but also independently. Her faith was forefront throughout her life. As a member of Saint Edwards Church in Palm Beach, Florida and Our Lady of the Assumption in Osterville she was also a Dame in the Order of Malta and organized many pilgrimages to Lourdes in France to heal the sick. She was also involved in the Children’s Museum in Boston. She and her late husband founded and chaired the Pops on the Heights at Boston College for over 19 years.
In heaven we trust Barbara has met God, rejoined her husband, Jim and her brother Ralph Coliton.
To live on in the hearts of others is not to die. Barbara leaves her children, Kara-Lyn C. Cleary of Boston, Palm Beach and Cape Cod, James F. Cleary Jr. of Boise, Idaho and Kristin C. Welo and her husband, Tobias of Weston; her grandchildren, Barbara Ann Cleary, Abigail Ann Cleary, Grayson C. Welo and Tobias J. Welo; her siblings, John T. Coliton Jr. and his wife, Jacquelyn of Livonia, Michigan and Claire C. Burke and her husband, Charles of Fort Myers, Florida and Marion, Massachusetts; also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Family and friends will gather to honor and remember Barbara’s life on Saturday, January 31, 2015 in Saint Edward Church, 144 North County Rd., Palm Beach where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 AM. A burial ceremony will be held in Newton Cemetery, Newton, Massachusetts at a time to be announced.
Honor Barbara’s memory with a contribution to Massachusetts General Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Building 114, Charlestown Navy Yard, 114 16th Street, Room 2003, Charlestown, MA 02129.
Arrangements by QUATTLEBAUM FUNERAL, CREMATION & EVENT CENTER, 5411 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33417. Should flowers be desired please send directly to the funeral home.
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