An avid knitter who loved to decorate and bake her signature pumpkin pie
MELROSE — Barbara Mae (Dwight) Berger, of Melrose passed away on July 12 at the age of 83. Barbara or “Nana” as she was affectionately known in her later years, was born in Sanford, ME on September 7, 1940 to the late Ralph and Thelma (Butler) Dwight. In February of 1966, she married John Berger, later to be known as “Papa”. The two made their way to Melrose where they spent the majority of their 58 years of marriage together.
Her sense of style and gift of gab led her to working as a hairdresser and later as a sales associate at the clothing store Talbots. Ever the decorators, Barbara and her daughter also opened and ran a successful gift shop called Country Cottage. If you ever stopped by her home, you knew she loved to decorate for each season and holiday with skeletons on the lawn, lights on the trees or shamrocks on the door. She loved celebrating every special occasion big or small with her beloved family (and a cocktail, particularly a pomegranate or French martini) by her side. She was also known for her signature pumpkin pie, a Thanksgiving favorite.
She was an avid knitter that never met a yarn store (or any store for that matter) she didn’t love. Her specialties included sweaters, socks and mittens that always kept friends and family cozy. She donated many of her hand-knit items to the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital gift shop where she spent time volunteering. She also loved to travel with her favorite place being Kennebunkport, ME where she spent summers with her family devouring lobsters, shopping Dock Square and lounging by the pool playing cards (aka Kings in the Corner).
She is survived by her husband John Berger; her daughter Heather Leary and her husband Christopher of Melrose; her granddaughters Tyler and Paige Leary; her brother Robert Dwight and his wife Peggie of Milton; her brother-in-law Stephen Berger and his late wife Martha of Plymouth; and many friends for which she had a knack for making. She is predeceased by her sister-in-law Ruth and her husband Roy Farnsworth of Auburn, ME. Barbara will be greatly missed, but the stories of her adventures, memories and love will continue to be shared for countless years to come.
To commemorate her life, a private graveside service will be held at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park in Peabody. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, TN 38105. Funeral services were arranged by Gately Funeral Home in Melrose. Visit gatelyfh.com.
