Barbara A. Leahy (née Emerick), of Dumont, NJ, passed away peacefully on January 6, 2022, with her family by her side. She is predeceased by her beloved husband, William R. Leahy.
Barbara is survived by her loving children Robin A. Leahy, Dawn L. (Edward) Tucker, Tara S. (JR) Setteducati, and Holly A. (John) O’Shaughnessy. Cherished grandchildren Patrick W. (Jackie) Smith, Kerri A. Smith, Faith L. Tucker, Ryan E. Tucker, Victoria B. Setteducati, Sydney L. O’Shaughnessy, Donovan J. Tucker, Megan L. O’Shaughnessy, and Cassidy G. Tucker, and adored “GiGi” to great-grandson Zachary W. Smith.
Barbara is predeceased by her son, William P. Leahy, son-in-law Ronald J. Smith and siblings Thomas Emerick and Lorraine Emerick, brother-in-law Buddy Leahy. She is also survived by dear sisters-in-law Marie (James) Cahill and Anne Leahy as well as many loved nieces and nephews.
Barbara was born in New York City to Marion P. (née Stack) and Thomas Emerick. She attended Sacred Heart School and Washington Irving High School, both in New York City. She held several positions as a bookkeeper until her retirement.
Barbara was a fun, witty, and generous soul whose greatest joy was her family. She loved spending time with her daughters and their families, especially her nine grandchildren and great grandson. Family was everything to Barbara and she relished every opportunity she had to visit, babysit, or host family gatherings.
Barbara fondly spoke of fun times with lifelong friends from the West Side. She enjoyed bowling, playing cards and Mahjong with her Dumont girlfriends. Barb loved to sew, often crafting matching outfits for her girls, and later sewing crib sets for her grandbabies, and curtains for her family’s new homes. A lifelong fan, Barbara loved her New York Yankees, often visiting Yankee Stadium and rarely missing a game on TV.
She was a devout parishioner of Saint Mary’s Church, and a member and past President of the Altar & Rosary Society. She often volunteered to support all her children’s activities, whether it be Girl Scout cookie mom, cheerleading coach, or various sport teams. In her 1969 Vista Cruiser station wagon (with the wood panel sides), Barb was the preeminent Uber driver long before it was fashionable. A proud grandmother, Barbara attended every graduation, recital, concert, or sporting event of her grandchildren that she could.
She appreciated a variety of music including Elvis Presley, Tony Bennett, and the Rolling Stones. Barb truly enjoyed seeing the Rolling Stones perform live with her family on the 2019 “No Filter” tour. Rock on Barb!
Aside from her love of her family, two things that will be most remembered about Barbara are her fondness for purple and a “nice cup of tea”. So, as you think about Barbara today, honor her memory by donning a little purple, sipping a nice cup of tea and hold your loved ones close.
Visitation will be held Sunday, January 9, 2022, from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM at the Beaugard-McKnight Funeral Home, 869 Kinderkamack Rd., River Edge, NJ.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Saint Mary’s Church, 200 Washington Ave, Dumont, NJ, at 9:30 AM followed by Internment at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Hackensack.
In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Barbara’s memory with a donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.