Barbara Jean McNeill, 79, of Davenport, Florida, (formerly of Billerica, MA) passed away unexpectedly on March 20, 2023. She was surrounded by her loving family.
Barbara was born on January 11, 1944 to Donald A. Mellen Sr. and Barbara J. Mellen of Lowell, Massachusetts. Barbara graduated from Keith Hall in 1961, and she went on to marry James W. McNeill Sr., have children and a career in Human Resources with several major companies in MA.
Barbara met the love of her life in High School. She married James W. McNeill Sr. in 1963. Barbara was a life-long resident of Billerica, MA with her husband James. She recently moved to Davenport, Florida. Barbara and James went on to have four children, James W. McNeill Jr., Justine Cadden, Kirk McNeill, and Barbara J. Jackson.
Barbara deeply loved her family and friends. She cherished get-togethers, singing songs from every generation and dancing during all hours of the day or night at every family function. She loved to read books. She would stack them in an order so if she loved that particular story, she would read it again. She loved to travel, enjoyed Florida, Aruba, Atlantis, Bermuda and the cruises with her family and friends. She was very artistic, and her creative side was displayed any time you visited her home. She decorated for every holiday and it was a joy for her to share her talent with her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed watching and collecting movies. She would watch all kinds of movies with her grandchildren with her ultimately “loaning” it out to the one she watched it with. She hoped that they would remember those special times she spent with each of them for the rest of their lives. She enjoyed living every moment for her family, attending as many events as possible, knowing that each and every one were very special to her. She will always be the rock of our family, and she will always light the way for her loved ones to emulate her kindness and generosity to others.
Barbara was predeceased by her husband James W. McNeill Sr., her parents Barbara J. Mellen, Donald A Mellen Sr., her brothers Donald A. Mellen Jr., and Garrett R. Mellen. She is survived by James W. McNeill Jr. and Michelle McNeill, daughter-in-law of Hampton, New Hampshire, Justine Cadden and William J. Cadden Jr., son-in-law of Billerica MA, Kirk McNeill and Susan McNeill, daughter-in-law, of Tewksbury, MA and Barbara J. Jackson and Shawn Jackson, son-in-law, of Nashua, New Hampshire. She is also survived by her sisters; Debra Scarpaci and James Scarpaci of Billerica MA, Beverly Lindsay and Bruce Lindsay of Davenport, Florida, and brothers; Shawn Mellen of Rochester, NH and Bruce Mellen of Methuen, MA. She has 9 grandchildren, 1 great granddaughter and many nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Matthew the Evangelist Parish in St. Theresa Church, 466 Boston Rd, Billerica MA on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 10:00am. Burial in St. Patrick Cemetery, Lowell. Relatives and friends respectfully invited. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to American Stroke Association https://americanstroke.org/donate/, to help others.
Previous Events
Funeral Mass
5
Apr
466 Boston Rd.
Billerica, MA 01821
Burial
5
Apr
Gorham St.
Lowell, MA 01852