Priscilla Birnie Barnes

SHREWSBURY, MA / GRANTSBORO, NC – Priscilla (Birnie) Barnes, 90, of Shrewsbury, MA and Grantsboro, NC, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at Holden Rehabilitation with her loving children at her side.

She leaves her children: David E. Barnes and his wife Denise, of Holden, Barbara E. Verdini and her husband Henry, of Holland, Martha J. Grant and her husband Michael, of Shrewsbury, and Susan Barnes and her husband Edward Mulhearn, of Oxford.  She was “Nana” to her 7 grandchildren Adam, Traci, Zachary, Kristen, Andrew, Daniel, and Amanda and “Great Nana” to her 6 great-grandchildren  Paige, Gwen, Jillian, Olivia, Ethan and Benjamin. She leaves many nieces, nephews, cousins, close friends, and her beloved Chihuahua, Peppy. Priscilla was predeceased by her beloved husband of 56 years, Lendon E. Barnes, her parents, Walter E. and Bertha D. (Graves) Birnie and her siblings, James Birnie and Mary Shapazian.

Priscilla was born, raised, and educated in Shrewsbury, graduating from Major Howard W. Beal High School in 1949. In her youth, Priscilla summered at her Grandmother’s home in Maine on the Island of Vinalhaven. She had a lifelong love of the island, which she also instilled in her children.  She was the Director of and a teacher at Fairlawn Nursery School for 15 years, before beginning her secretarial career at Robinson & Fox, BSC Group. Priscilla  retired in 1990, when she and Lendon moved to their pecan farm in Grantsboro, North Carolina. In her NC retirement years she was active in the Pamlico County Shriners / Shrinettes, Bayboro VFW, and Alliance United Methodist Church.  She moved back to Massachusetts in 2012 to be closer to her family. Priscilla was the original “Church Lady,” and loved her community at the Baptist Church of Grafton. Her faith and friends always remained important to her.

In her free time, she enjoyed gardening, ceramics, knitting, crocheting, painting and jigsaw puzzles. Priscilla was known for her baking skills, and especially for her banana bread and devil dogs. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Baptist Church of Grafton, P.O. Box 304, Grafton, MA 01519. The family would like to thank the staff at Holden Rehabilitation , especially nurse “Josephine” for the compassionate care of their mother.

Relatives and friends are invited to gather for Priscilla’s graveside service, which will be held at 11:30 AM on Friday, February 24, 2023, in Section M of Mountain View Cemetery, 22 Boylston St., Shrewsbury. To leave a note of condolence for her family, or to share a fond memory, please visit http://brittonfuneralhomes.com