January 29, 2023
January 29, 2023
Barbara, May you rest in peace & God be with you next to your foot prints as you walk, John Roberto ( Mary & Gus Roberto's Son )
Barbara Perkins Whiteley of Mullica Hill, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on December 20, 2022 at the age of 94. What a wonderful life she led! Trailblazer, independent, compassionate, energized - these are some of the words that come to mind when Barbara's name is mentioned.
Barbara was born on September 1, 1928, at the Crozer Hospital in Chester, Pennsylvania. She was the eldest of four children born to the late Charles Levis and Mary Catherine (Walsh/Welsh) Perkins. She attended Saint Michael's Elementary School in Chester, PA, Notre Dame High School in Moylan, PA, and Saint Francis School of Nursing in Wilmington, DE.
Barbara had a fulfilling nursing career of 40+ years working as a nurse anesthetist (CRNA) at Thomas Jefferson (PA) and Underwood Memorial (NJ) Hospitals. Barbara was a natural-born nurse who was a caregiver for her ailing parents and extended family. In 1986 she married Dr. William H. Whiteley, M.D., neurosurgeon, her lifelong friend and colleague. He pre-deceased her in 2018 at the age of 99 after 32 years of a wonderful marriage.
Barbara was an independent woman. She was proud of owning and building her forever home in the woods of South Jersey near Mullica Hill in the 1960's. Barbara had a multitude of friends in the Mullica Hill community, from doctors to farmers. She was a faithful member of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church/The Catholic Community Of The Holy Spirit in Mullica Hill where she served as a Eucharistic Minister. Barbara also visited and offered assistance to the sick and elderly in the Mullica Hill area. She recognized the importance of all of God's children and respected the sanctity of life.
Always full of energy, Barbara was an active woman until recent health issues slowed her down. She was a lifelong learner who was endowed with a gift for the art of conversation. She had a wide range of interests throughout her long life - travel, art appreciation, interior design, antiques, bible studies, gardening, canning, beekeeping, raising chickens, tending her koi pond, needlepoint, sewing, and cooking. In her later years she was a tireless champion for stray cats. She was a friend to many artists and had taken a number of classes at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. Barbara was a world traveler who visited Mexico, Great Britain, Honduras, Haiti, Panama, Greece, Lebanon, Jerusalem, Alaska, and the Western United States, to name a few places. She loved to frequent the South Jersey diners, not only for the food, but also a good cup of Lacas coffee. Her favorite spots were the Harrison House and Elmer Diners.
Family was very important to Barbara. She loved talking about the accomplishments of her grandnieces and grandnephew and showing off their pictures. She was a wise advisor and confidant to various relatives and friends. In addition to her parents and husband, Barbara was pre-deceased by her sister Patricia Ann Perkins and her brother Paul Walsh Perkins. She is survived by her brother Charles "Bub" Perkins of Mullica Hill, NJ, her sister-in-law Darlene Perkins (Zimmer) of Billings, Montana, her nephew Charles Perkins III (Colleen) of Middletown, DE, her grandnieces Ashley Pawlowski (Mark) and Melissa Karpinski (Ben), both of Yardley, PA, her grandnephew Charles Perkins IV (Erica) of Wilmington, DE, her great- grandnieces Leighton Taylor-Perkins and Kelly Pawlowski, and her great-grandnephew Nicholas Pawlowski. Also mourning her death are her late husband's children: William H. Whiteley IV, Margaret Driscoll, and Nancy Campbell, (pre-deceased by daughter Susan O'Connor 2022), his grandchildren: Ryan and Lauren Driscoll, and Seamus Campbell, and four great-grandchildren.
The family would like to express their gratitude to AccentCare Hospice Wilmington Hospital for their excellent care of Barbara in her final days. They are also most grateful to her faithful friends Joyce Spears and Don Dowd, and her dedicated friend and hair stylist Amy Davis.
Relatives and friends are invited to Barbara's Visitation at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 3, 2023 at The Catholic Community Of The Holy Spirit (Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church), 17 Earlington Avenue, Mullica Hill, NJ, 08062, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution in Barbara's name to The Catholic Community Of The Holy Spirit at the address listed above, or Seasons Hospice Foundation (AccentCare): foundation@seasons.org
Fertig Funeral Home
Barbara was born on September 1, 1928, at the Crozer Hospital in Chester, Pennsylvania. She was the eldest of four children born to the late Charles Levis and Mary Catherine (Walsh/Welsh) Perkins. She attended Saint Michael's Elementary School in Chester, PA, Notre Dame High School in Moylan, PA, and Saint Francis School of Nursing in Wilmington, DE.
Barbara had a fulfilling nursing career of 40+ years working as a nurse anesthetist (CRNA) at Thomas Jefferson (PA) and Underwood Memorial (NJ) Hospitals. Barbara was a natural-born nurse who was a caregiver for her ailing parents and extended family. In 1986 she married Dr. William H. Whiteley, M.D., neurosurgeon, her lifelong friend and colleague. He pre-deceased her in 2018 at the age of 99 after 32 years of a wonderful marriage.
Barbara was an independent woman. She was proud of owning and building her forever home in the woods of South Jersey near Mullica Hill in the 1960's. Barbara had a multitude of friends in the Mullica Hill community, from doctors to farmers. She was a faithful member of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church/The Catholic Community Of The Holy Spirit in Mullica Hill where she served as a Eucharistic Minister. Barbara also visited and offered assistance to the sick and elderly in the Mullica Hill area. She recognized the importance of all of God's children and respected the sanctity of life.
Always full of energy, Barbara was an active woman until recent health issues slowed her down. She was a lifelong learner who was endowed with a gift for the art of conversation. She had a wide range of interests throughout her long life - travel, art appreciation, interior design, antiques, bible studies, gardening, canning, beekeeping, raising chickens, tending her koi pond, needlepoint, sewing, and cooking. In her later years she was a tireless champion for stray cats. She was a friend to many artists and had taken a number of classes at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. Barbara was a world traveler who visited Mexico, Great Britain, Honduras, Haiti, Panama, Greece, Lebanon, Jerusalem, Alaska, and the Western United States, to name a few places. She loved to frequent the South Jersey diners, not only for the food, but also a good cup of Lacas coffee. Her favorite spots were the Harrison House and Elmer Diners.
Family was very important to Barbara. She loved talking about the accomplishments of her grandnieces and grandnephew and showing off their pictures. She was a wise advisor and confidant to various relatives and friends. In addition to her parents and husband, Barbara was pre-deceased by her sister Patricia Ann Perkins and her brother Paul Walsh Perkins. She is survived by her brother Charles "Bub" Perkins of Mullica Hill, NJ, her sister-in-law Darlene Perkins (Zimmer) of Billings, Montana, her nephew Charles Perkins III (Colleen) of Middletown, DE, her grandnieces Ashley Pawlowski (Mark) and Melissa Karpinski (Ben), both of Yardley, PA, her grandnephew Charles Perkins IV (Erica) of Wilmington, DE, her great- grandnieces Leighton Taylor-Perkins and Kelly Pawlowski, and her great-grandnephew Nicholas Pawlowski. Also mourning her death are her late husband's children: William H. Whiteley IV, Margaret Driscoll, and Nancy Campbell, (pre-deceased by daughter Susan O'Connor 2022), his grandchildren: Ryan and Lauren Driscoll, and Seamus Campbell, and four great-grandchildren.
The family would like to express their gratitude to AccentCare Hospice Wilmington Hospital for their excellent care of Barbara in her final days. They are also most grateful to her faithful friends Joyce Spears and Don Dowd, and her dedicated friend and hair stylist Amy Davis.
Relatives and friends are invited to Barbara's Visitation at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 3, 2023 at The Catholic Community Of The Holy Spirit (Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church), 17 Earlington Avenue, Mullica Hill, NJ, 08062, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution in Barbara's name to The Catholic Community Of The Holy Spirit at the address listed above, or Seasons Hospice Foundation (AccentCare): foundation@seasons.org
Fertig Funeral Home
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January 29, 2023
January 29, 2023
Barbara, May you rest in peace & God be with you next to your foot prints as you walk, John Roberto ( Mary & Gus Roberto's Son )
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