Barbara E. Wickwire

Barbara E. Wickwire, Former Local Artist


N. CHATHAM-Barbara E. (Hough) Wickwire passed to a better place on Jan. 16 at Liberty Commons Nursing Home. She joins her husband of 50 years, Everett who predeceased her.

Barbara "Barbi" was born in Worcester on July 17, 1913 to the late Franklin and Edith (Cooper) Hough. She spent most of her life in the Worcester area, retiring to Venice, FL and Orleans, MA.

She graduated from South High School and Massachusetts College of Art, Boston where she specialized in design and fashion illustration. She worked as a professional illustrator for many Worcester stores including the Denholm Co.

Her passion was watercolor painting specializing in Cape Cod seascapes, fall scenes with old barns, stonewalls and colorful fall scenery. Her paintings are owned by art collectors all over the country. Barbi studied at the School of Flora Design and worked part-time for Cooper's Flowers in Worcester. She also studied at the Worcester Craft Center and enjoyed designing and making jewelry, pottery, glass design and enameling. She became interested in psychology and criminology attending classes at Clark University, Worcester State College and Assumption College. Early in her career she taught Art in Worcester Public Schools. Besides her watercolor painting she enjoyed playing the organ, traveling, collecting shells at Cape Cod and Florida and spending time with her family and friends.

She is survived by her daughter, Joan Tessier-Thomas and her husband William Thomas of Worcester and Dunedin, FL; grandchildren, Debra Beaulieu and husband Paul of Turner Falls, Tammy Ferzoco and husband Frank, Scott Tessier and wife Anne all of Orleans; step-granddaughter, Cheryl McCorby and husband David of Virginia; great grandchildren, Christopher and Ryanne Beaulieu of Turner Falls, Kathryn, Jeremiah and Gabrielle Tessier all of Orleans, Kaitlyn Loader and Margaret McCorby of Virginia and many nieces and nephews. Her sister, Ruth Soderlund predeceased her.

The funeral will be Saturday, January20 at 11:00 AM at Greendale People's Church, 25 Francis St., Worcester. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Visiting hours will be Friday, January 19 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at FAY BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 1 W. Boylston St., W. Boylston. The family requests that flowers be omitted and contributions be sent to Alzheimer's Association, 311 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472 or to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701 or St. Jude's Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. www.faybrothers.com.