Barbara Macksey, 95

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. —  Barbara Jean (Downey) Macksey, 95, died Friday, August 5, 2022, in Troy, NY. She was born March 23, 1927 in Adams, MA to Joseph P. and Anna (Cumm) Downey. The family moved to North Adams when she was a young girl, and she became a lifelong resident.

Barbara married Lawrence “Toddy” Macksey November 25, 1950, in St. Francis Church. Together they raised three children, Peter, Susan, and John. They had been married 59 years when Toddy died in 2010.

Barbara was a graduate of Drury High School with the class of 1945 and went to work with Bell Telephone as a junior telephone operator. She worked for the telephone company through all its name changes until the North Adams office closed. She took an early retirement and started on the next chapter of her life – grandmothering!

Between spoiling the grandkids, Casey, Joe, Sarah, Rylan and Hannah at Christmas or making holiday themed pins for every grandchild’s classroom to knitting beautiful afghans for anyone who wanted, “Grams” as the kids would call her was always available for a hug, a chat on the phone when they were away from home or a card in the mail to let you know she was thinking of you.

Barb and Toddy had been seasonal campers at Historic Valley Campground since 1975 or so and unofficially hold the title for the longest campers to stay there. They turned their summers into the place to be. Barb was an active volunteer and participant at all the summer activities, but especially the ice cream socials, Christmas in July, and summer “Halloween”. All five of these kids grew up in the campground and to this day have the greatest stories and loving memories of Site 78.

Barbara was predeceased by her husband, her parents, her son John Patrick Macksey and her brother Joseph P. Downey Jr. She leaves her loving family, son Peter (Pamela) and their son Rylan (Amanda) and their children Rebecca and Luke, Anchorage, AK; daughter Susan Macksey and her daughter Casey, Troy, NY; and John’s children Joseph (Samantha Tanner) and their sons Tanner and Dylan, North Adams; Sarah (Mike Massimo), Medford, MA; and Hannah, North Adams. She also leaves her sister-in-law Connie Downey and her sons Kevin, Chris, and Tommy, and her grandsons and great grandchildren; her sister-in-law Theresa Macksey and her daughters Libby and Jennifer; and her nephew Chris Macksey, Winthrop, ME.

We would like to thank Home Instead for sending us Dorothy Santiago as our mother’s home healthcare aid for the past four years - she brightened up her life immensely.

Burial will be in Southview Cemetery at a later date when the family can get together.

Donations in her memory may be made to the AYJ Fund, 201 Eagle St, North Adams, MA 01247. To add to the Book of Memories, please visit www.flynndagnolifuneralhomes.com.