Obituary of Barbara de Zengotita

Barbara was born on March 15, 1946 in Lima, Peru to Juan and Barbara (Thomas) de Zengotita. She spent most of her childhood living abroad, in London, England; Havana, Cuba; and Yokohama, Japan, due to her father’s career in the foreign service. Early in life, Barbara faced a number of health challenges and dealt with the consequences for the rest of her days. Her grit and determination earned her the childhood knickname of “Bash," for always being willing to “take a bash at” any game or challenge.

She remained steadfastly and courageously independent throughout her life.

Barbara attended high school in Duxbury, MA, her mother’s hometown, and later graduated from Hiram College in Ohio with a degree in Social Work. She spent much of her career working as a disability counselor for the Massachusetts Office on Disability, while living in Cambridge where she enjoyed the museums, restaurants, shops and theaters, including the Harvard Film Archive where she was a regular. After retirement she continued to reside at her home in East Cambridge, enjoying trips to Cape Cod, Maine and New Hampshire. 

Barbara is survived by her siblings, Thomas, Katharine and Clare, and affectionately remembered by her niece and nephews. There will be a private graveside ceremony in the spring at Mayflower Cemetery in Duxbury. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Epilepsy Foundation.