Barbara D. Seibert

Barbara D. Seibert, of Newark, DE, passed away March 25, 2021 with her husband and sons by her side. Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1937, Barbara met her husband of 63 years, Harry, when the United States Air Force sent him there. Their love story began when the beautiful local girl caught the eye of the American GI at a roller rink. Harry was smitten from the beginning and never got over it. They loved traveling the country and the world with family and friends and developed a passion for collecting items from those travels.  Barbara never could have enough books to read. She enjoyed quilting, bowling, cards and game playing. You really did not want to challenge her at word games. She read poetry to her own children and amazed us with recitations from memory of poems learned from her mother as a child. Her life was centered on the family she created with Harry, the joyously large Whelan clan of fourteen siblings rooted in Newfoundland, and the extended Seibert family in New Jersey. She always looked forward to attending family reunions in Canada, where Newfoundlanders, especially her family, really know how to throw a party. It was an immeasurable joy to be a part of her family.

If we could read this aloud to Barbara, she’d smile and playfully say “Who’s ‘she’ – the cat’s mother?”, an expression passed down through her family.  “Yes B’y” the matriarch of the Whelan family will be greatly missed. She is irreplaceable and dearly loved. She goes now to her home with her Father in heaven.

Barbara was the daughter of the late Julia (Butcher) and John (Jack) Whelan. She was predeceased by daughter Julie L. Hinkle (William), sisters Mary and Gertrude, brothers Thomas M., David, and John (Jack) and beloved in-laws Vivian, Linda, and Martin.

Barbara is survived by her husband Harry, and her sons Gary (Vicki) of Laurel, MD, Jerry (Jennifer) of Glen Gardner, NJ, and Mark (Felicia) of Rehoboth Beach, DE, and five grandchildren: Lauren, Mara Chan (Gary), Jonathan, Jordan, and Nicholas. Also by her sisters Julie Weir (Dennis), and Patricia Bondy of London, Ontario; Rosemary Goodine of Hartfield, New Brunswick; Annmarie Newman (Clarence) of St. John’s Newfoundland, and by her brothers Earnest (Cathy) of Debert, Nova Scotia, Thomas J. of London, Ontario, Philip (Cynthia) and Robert (Lynn) of St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Barbara retired from the Wilmington Trust Bank where she was in construction loan administration.  She was a member of Women in Construction, Thimbles Collectors International, and the Delaware Saengerbund.

Interment will be private. There will be a celebration of life announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Delaware Hospice or the contributor’s favorite charity in memory of Barbara.