Barbara A. (Howard) Garrity, 90, of Hingham and OFD, passed away Thursday February 8, 2024, following a brief illness, surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Boston and a proud 1950 graduate of Dorchester High School for Girls and later Katharine Gibbs School, Barbara worked at John Hancock Company before marrying Paul Garrity at St. Gregory Church in 1963. She spent many years raising her children before returning to work part time at the Carney Hospital in 1979, where she stayed until retiring in 2005.

Barbara’s free time was spent knitting and sewing. Thanks to her skilled hands, all of her grandchildren and many great nieces and nephews have beautiful baby blankets. She also enjoyed baking; her cupcakes, mocha cakes, and Aunt Barbie/Nana cakes were requested for all family gatherings. Like most of her age, she had a love/hate relationship with the Boston sports teams but always watched on TV and thoroughly enjoyed their many winning seasons later in her life, even going to her first Red Sox game at Fenway Park in recent years. Fond family memories were made each summer on Association Beach in Dennis, where she traveled down the treacherous stairs well into her 80’s.

After leaving Dorchester, Barbara moved to Linden Ponds in Hingham in 2004 as one of their original “Pioneer” residents. There she met a wonderful group of friends and participated in many of their activities including the Red Hatters and Mexican Train Dominoes. Her favorite days were when her grandchildren came to swim in the pool and to Irish dance for the residents.

In honor of Barbara’s love of all things Talbots, if you have a Talbots’ outfit in your closet, we hope you will wear it on Wednesday, whether you are able to join us in-person for Barbara’s services or are keeping her in your thoughts. Bright colors are encouraged.

Barbara was the beloved wife of the late Paul Garrity; loving mother of Joan Pozerski and her husband John of Marshfield, Nancy Rufo and her husband Michael of Duxbury, Paul Garrity and his wife Kristin of Hingham and Stephen Garrity of Duxbury; and cherished Nana of Lauren, Andrew, Caroline, Johnny and Julia Pozerski of Marshfield, Nathaniel, Dominic and Nicholas Rufo of Duxbury and Grace and Colin Garrity of Hingham. She is also survived by her brother John “Jack” Howard of Dennis, many nieces and nephews, and numerous great nieces and nephews. Barbara was predeceased by her parents John and Catherine (Burke) Howard, daughter baby Catherine and her sister Mary (Julian).

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Gregory Church, 2223 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, Wednesday February 14 at 10:30 AM. Family and friends invited. Interment Saint Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury. Reception to follow at West on Centre, 1732 Centre Street, West Roxbury.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Barbara’s memory can be made to: Linden Ponds Scholarship Fund (300 Linden Ponds Way, Hingham, MA 02043) or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF.org).