Obituary, Barbara Mary Leigh

Barbara Leigh, registered nurse, supermum, loyal wife, domestic goddess, speed queen and fearless fairground rider, died—family by her side—on 2nd January 2023 age 87 years, ten months and fifteen days.
Barbara was born in London on 18th February 1935 to Georgina O’Neil. Tom and Barbara Gardner of Nottingham were the baby’s delighted adoptive parents. Barbara trained as a nurse at Park hospital, Manchester and met her future husband at a party, having arrived on the back of a motorcycle. Evidently, Roland was a better prospect than the fellow she had arrived with.
Barbara and Roland married in Nottingham on 31st December 1959 and raised three children, Paul, Catherine and Jonathan. All three were born in The Barn, their home in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, so named after the qualifications of its owners—Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Registered Nurse (RN).
Over the years, Barbara worked in childcare, as a midwife, a health visitor, and a school matron. Barbara was a strong advocate for her children—in matters of faith, in matters of education, and in matters of culture. She shepherded her young children to church each Sunday. She won over the dean for Catherine to switch from college to university after registration had closed. Barbara made sure that the school play, school orchestra, local pantos, and well-used library cards were all staples in the Leigh household.
Although slow to anger and firm in her Catholic faith, an item of cutlery was once thrown at her erring husband. The fork was surely aimed to admonish rather than wound, for it failed to hit its mark. She had made her point, nonetheless.
Never faint-hearted, Barbara enjoyed a turn of speed. No vehicle was exempt: the fairground dodgem and rocket, Jonathan’s ride-on lawnmower, Paul’s 4 litre Ford Falcon and, in later years, her mobility scooter, were all pushed to the limit. She treated the accelerator as an on-off switch, not a volume control. Barbara taught all her children to drive.
Barbara and Roland spent 20 happy years in South Africa forging life-long friendships and happy memories. They cultivated somewhat restless progeny whose ambitions led them to pastures here and valleys there.
In 1996, Roland and Barbara retired to Verwood, Dorset. Then, lo, in her sixties and fearing she might already be too late, Barbara sought out her birth mother. Keen detective work led Roland and Barbara to the market town of Athy in County Kildare and a cathartic reunion. Barbara’s mother, Georgina, by then in her late 80s, supplied an instant nestful of siblings. We are told that the apple had not fallen far from the tree—Barbara had inherited Georgina’s looks, sharp wit and life force.
Two days after her and Roland’s 63rd wedding anniversary, Barbara died on 2nd January—in a remarkable serendipity—the same date as her own mother Georgina’s death fifteen years earlier. Barbara is survived by her husband, Roland, her 3 children, Paul, Jonathan and Catherine, 8 grandchildren, Mark, Claire, Jonathan, Matthew, Tom, Ciaran, Graham and Addison and 3 great grandchildren Bethany, Jake and Kamila.