Plan for the Future
Barbara Sire Gill passed away peacefully on January 26th surrounded by her loving family after a courageous twenty-five-year battle with cancer. She was born December 5, 1931 in Newark, NJ to Marie and Robert Sire. She attended Douglas College and at the young age of twenty-one married her childhood sweetheart, Robert B. Gill, whom she had known since nursery school. They were life-long partners, sharing sixty-five wonderful years of marriage. Barbara and Bob split their time between three homes – Naples, FL, Sunapee, NH, and New Vernon, NJ.
Barbara and Bob had five children while they were still quite young, and Barbara liked to say that she grew up with her kids. They raised their family in Chatham, NJ. Barbara enjoyed an active lifestyle – when she was not busy with her children she enjoyed playing tennis, gardening, golf, bridge, boating and other water activities. She loved to attend her children’s sporting events, and in later years those of her grandchildren. Barbara and Bob enjoyed traveling the world and counted a safari in Africa and fishing in Alaska as two of her favorite trips. Barbara was a warm, approachable, down to earth person who greatly valued and nurtured the many friendships in her life. She loved meeting new people and was making new friends right up to the end.
Barbara is survived by her loving husband, as well as her adoring children: Richard and Barbara (Williams) Gill of Morristown, NJ; Patricia (Gill) and Robert Evans of Berkeley Heights, NJ; Thomas and Karen (Sherwood) Gill of Chatham, NJ; Barbara (Gill) and Michael Sgro of Westfield, NJ; John and Sharon (Grimm) Gill of Chatham, NJ. She is also survived by her sister Jean Standbridge (Peter) of Southlake, Texas and by her ten grandchildren and one great-grandson who will miss her great advice, warm smile and chocolate chip cookies. She taught them by example how to be a fighter and live each day to the fullest. She will be greatly missed by the many people who loved her.
Visiting hours will be held 4-8 pm Wednesday, January 31st at Bradley Funeral Home, 345 Main Street, Chatham, NJ. A mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, February 1st, 10am at Corpus Christi Church, 234 Southern Boulevard, Chatham, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Morristown Medical Center, 100 Madison Avenue, Morristown, NJ, 07960.