Obituary of Barbara Louise Dunbar

Barbara L. Dunbar of Pembroke formerly of East Bridgewater, died peacefully on April 30, 2018 at home surrounded by family.  She was 83.  Barbara was the oldest child of three born to Ralph H. Perkins, Jr. and Doris (Stetson) Perkins.  Some of the happiest times of Barbara’s life were the summers her family spent at Webster Beach in Duxbury.   She was very active in the Glee Club and the Social Club at East Bridgewater High School.  She was also the piano player for the school as well as a cheerleader her senior year.  She attended Bridgewater State Teacher’s College and graduated in June 1956.  She was married one week later to Donald R. Dunbar.  They were married for 59 years.  

Barbara was a fifth grade teacher at the Ralph Talbot School in Weymouth for five years before staying home with her three daughters.  She was an avid reader and a collector of books and bestowed her love of reading to her children.  She also remained active in music singing in the Fine Arts Chorale as an alto and teaching her youngest daughter to play the piano.  She was a die-hard Red Sox fan and watched all the games on TV.  She was a cat lover and always had cats--up to as many as four at one time (although she said four cats were too many.)  She was a daughter, a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. She selflessly cared for everyone around her and never put herself first.  She was also a generous donor to many causes as well as a wonderful hostess for countless holiday celebrations and dinners. 

She is survived by her three children, Elizabeth Dunbar, Sarah (Dunbar) Kelbaugh and her husband Douglas, and Rebecca Dunbar and her husband Anjmun Sharma.  She was grandmother to Cameron and Brady Kelbaugh and Arjun, Karishma, and Roshan Sharma.  She was aunt to many nieces and nephews.  A memorial service in celebration of her life will be held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Hanover on Friday May 4, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers; donations may be made in her name to the Pembroke Public Library, 142 Center St. Pembroke, MA 02359 or to the Wellfleet Conservation Trust at wellfleetconservationtrust.org. “Special thanks to Hospice of the South Shore and Visiting Angels of Marshfield.”