SOUTH PARIS — Barbara Gay Ripley, 79, of Newcastle, died peacefully at Market Square Health Care Center on Nov. 4, after losing her battle with COPD. Her daughters, Ruth and Jane and their husbands, were by her side.

She was born on April 20, 1931, in Damariscotta, the only daughter of the late Thomas E. (Tom) and Iome Gay. She had one brother, Tom, who predeceased her. Barbara graduated from Lincoln Academy in 1949. She was married to the late William A. Ripley for 43 years.

Barbara will be remembered as a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She also enjoyed gardening, sewing, home-making and playing the organ.

As a teenager she loved to sing in the choir with Will and many other local friends at the Second Congregational Church in Newcastle. Shortly after getting married to Will, he joined the airline business and they moved to many places throughout the U.S. including Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia, Illinois and Florida. They loved to travel and enjoyed such places as Hong Kong, Russia, England, and Ireland among other countries. Barbara came home to Maine in 2006.

Barbara is survived by her two daughters, Jane Fogarty and her husband, Pat, of Austin, Texas, and Ruth Leather and her husband, Dave, of Norway; seven grandchildren, Cathy, Kevin, Mike, Kristen, Jenny, Chris and Bill; and seven great-grandchildren.

Condolences, and messages for the family, may be expressed by visiting: www.StrongHancock.com.