Barbara B. Penfield

Barbara B. Penfield, 79, of Weston, MA died January 27, 2016 after a long, brave fight against the effects of progressive dementia.

Barbara Jean Buehrig was born March 5, 1936 in Pittsburgh, PA, to Albert August Buehrig and Charlotte Josephine (Horstman) Buehrig. After her graduation from the University of Pittsburgh in 1958 she married the late Charles Bradford Lory and moved with him to Massachusetts, settling in Newton to raise their four children.

In Newton she helped lead several community youth organizations, including the Newton Mason Rice PTA and the youth program of Grace Episcopal Church in Newton Corner.

In 1989, after living briefly in Brookline, she married Paul Livingstone Penfield, Jr. and moved to Weston, where she was a beloved grandmother of nine. She was a member of the First Parish Church in Weston and sang in its choir.

She worked as a research contract administrator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge and Analog Devices, Inc. in Wilmington.

Barbara is best known for her love of choral music, which began at the age of five and lasted the rest of her life. Her beautiful soprano voice graced many leading amateur choruses including the renowned Heinz Chapel Choir at the University of Pittsburgh and, in the Boston area, Chorus Pro Musica, the MIT Choral Society, and The Spectrum Singers. Her contributions extended beyond singing: she was on the Board of Overseers of Boston Baroque between 2001 and 2004; and on the Board of Directors of Choral Arts New England between 1999 and 2008, much of this time as Clerk; and on the Board of Directors of The Spectrum Singers from 1992 to 2010, serving as Chair from 1994 to 1998.

Barbara was predeceased by her first husband Charles, her brother-in-law Donald Watson Lory, her sister Charlotte Vern (Buehrig) Montague, and her niece Charlotte Leah (Montague) James.

She is survived by her second husband, Paul; her four children, John Albert Lory and his wife, Joan Elaine Jouriles of Columbia, MO (sons Joshua Nicholas Lory and Asa John Lory), Stephen Richards Lory of Arcata, CA (children Aaron Matthew Lory and Shaely Sullivan), Carol Frances (Lory) Topp of Vienna, VA (children Russell Francis Topp and Emilia Susan Topp), and Cameron S. (Lory) Faulds and her husband Andrew James Faulds of Brooklyn, NY; her three step-children David Wesley Penfield and his wife Rebecca Emily Bronson of Westford, MA (sons Andrew Bronson Penfield and Scott Arthur Penfield), Patricia Jane (Penfield) Jonas and her husband Craig Christopher Jonas of Lakewood, CO (son Paul Penfield Jonas), and Michael Baldwin Penfield of Saint Paul, MN. She is also survived by many nephews and nieces including Douglas Allen James of Oakdale, PA, Skiles Albert Montague of Hollywood, FL, Elizabeth Ruth (Montague) DePatie of Gainesville, FL, Dorothy Jean Montague of Aston, PA, Thomas Douglas Arthur Lory of Oreland, PA, and April Janine (Lory) Hart of Jeannette, PA.

Her life and love of music will be celebrated in a memorial service featuring a performance of the Fauré Requiem sung by members of The Spectrum Singers and the Senior Choir of the First Parish Church in Weston, at 11:00 AM, Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the First Parish Church in Weston, 349 Boston Post Road, Weston.

In lieu of flowers contributions can be made in Barbara's memory to The Spectrum Singers, P.O. Box 382325, Cambridge, MA 02238.