Barbara Ann Smillie

Barbara Ann (Brennan) Smillie, age 93, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 6, 2025, at her home in Walpole, Massachusetts. Born in Brookline, Massachusetts on January 23, 1932, she was the daughter of the late John and Margaret (Lyons) Brennan. She was raised in Brookline and graduated from Academy of Notre Dame on Granby Street in Boston with the Class of 1949. Following her graduation, Barbara enrolled in courses at Framingham State University for education and became a fourth grade teacher in Westwood, earning her bachelor's degree in 1953.

Barbara married her beloved husband, Richard, on October 8, 1955, in Brookline, Massachusetts. The young couple made their home in the quiet suburban town of Randolph, where Barbara took on the role of a homemaker, raising and caring for her six children.

She loved her plants and to paint. She was very proud of her flowers on the front porch at their cottage. Her paintings hang in all her children’s and grandchildren’s homes. A long-time Girl Scout, having a troop of Brownies for all three daughters, and many other contributions to our childhood community. Barbara loved her life at The Cape with long days of swimming, and beach walks. Family dinner, library trips, Sunday outings to museums and historical sites, keeping all of us dressed and fed. She built her family by a task at a time.

Beloved wife of the late Richard Nelson Smillie.

Loving mother of Susan Packenham and her late husband, Richard, of Walpole, Rick Smillie and his partner, Kerry Moore, of West Yarmouth, Margaret Wislar of Princeton, New Jersey, Martha Coakley and her husband, Mark, of Medfield, Dan Smillie and his wife, Posie, of Austin, Texas, and the late Matthew Smillie and his surviving wife, Janet, of Mashpee.

Cherished grandmother of Colin Packenham, Olivia Packenham, Luke Packenham, Anna Smillie, Elliott Wislar, Mackenzie Fasoli. Wes Wislar, Caroline Coakley, John Coakley, Katherine Smillie, Connor Smillie, and the late Maggie Smillie; and great grandmother of Edwin Fasoli.

Sister of the late John J. Brennan, Jr. and the late James Brennan.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Barbara's visitation on Friday, June 13th, 2025, from 9:00 - 10:00 am in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 in Blessed Sacrament Church, 10 Diamond Street, Walpole. Interment will take place privately at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Barbara's name may be made to either the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at 220 North Main Street, Suite 104, Natick, MA 01760 (https://www.cff.org/chapters/massachusetts-rhode-island-chapter), or the Alzheimer's Association at 320 Nevada Street Suite 201, Newton, MA 02460 (https://www.alz.org/manh)