Age: 80 • Davenport, FL
Barbara, our loving mother, grandmother, friend, and sister, passed away peacefully at The Gardens of Port St. Lucie on May 3, 2016, surrounded by loved ones.
Born November 10, 1935, in Colchester, Vermont, Barbara was the daughter of the late Kenneth and Leona (Comstock) Martin. She was raised by her grandparents, John and Mary Martin in Colchester Village and married Leon Gonyo in 1953. Leon predeceased her in 2006.
A native Vermonter, Barbara retired from IBM where she worked in Finance and Business. Barbara was also the published author of three books: “The Memories of a Vermont Centurion,” filled with stories and snippets of her Gram; “Trixie and Me,” a preteen book; and “Hidden in Plain Sight.”
Barbara and Leon’s home was a welcoming place for all who entered and those who needed a home. It was a home filled with love and laughter. Barbara passionately loved family and friends. She enjoyed traveling and working on the family genealogy tree and was always willing to go shopping, out for entertainment, to the movies, to eat, or simply to enjoy tea with her friends.
Barbara cared deeply about her sense of duty and became a long time member of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), CAP (Citizen Assisted Patrol), and one of the founding members of “Four Corners Armature Radio Club,” a member of the North America DX Association. In addition, she was also a member of Polk ARES Org, Emergency, ARRL.
Barbara leaves her daughter, Valerie, and her husband, Paul Guilmette, of Winooski; her son, Dr. Leon, and his wife, Eleanor (Shelly) Gonyo II, of Stuart, Florida. Also, left to cherish her memory are her granddaughter, Carla, and her husband, Andrew Wallace, of Williston and her grandson, Robert Driscoll, of Fairfax, as well as many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Along with her husband and parents, Barbara was predeceased by her twin sisters, her brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
A mass of Christian burial will be held at 12:00 noon on June 15, 2016, at the Holy Cross Church in Colchester, Vermont. Internment to follow at the Holy Cross Cemetery where she will be laid to rest next to her loving husband. In lieu of flowers please send a donation in Barbara’s memory to help find a cure for the rare brain disease that took our dear Barbara. PSP.org, Cure PSP, 30 E Padonia Road, Suite 201, Timonium, MD 21093.
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Published by The Burlington Free Press on Jun. 3, 2016.