Barbara L. Viera, 85, of Westport, passed away on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at Sakonnet Bay Manor. She was the daughter of the late Joseph and Louise (Azevedo) Viera.
Ms. Viera was born in Fall River and grew up and attended school in Westport and was the Valedictorian of her Westport High School 1959 graduating class. She majored in Physical Education at UMass Amherst and she also received her Masters and Doctorate from Springfield College in Springfield, MA.
She participated and lettered in all sports at Westport High School. Then she went on to UMass Amherst where she was in the first class of female students to major in physical education. This is where her love of volleyball began. There were no varsity sports for women at Amherst during this time so Barbara became committed to seeing that women would one day have the opportunity to compete and play sports at all levels. After graduating she taught Physical Education in Connecticut at the junior and senior high school levels and she lived there for several years.
In 1970 she moved to Newark, DE when she was hired as an assistant professor with teaching responsibilities at the University of DE. She became the Women’s Volleyball Coach at the University in 1972 and coached until her retirement in 1999. She resided in Newark for more than 50 years until 2024 when she returned home to be closer to family.
During her tenure at UD she and her teams achieved many awards and championships and she was named Coach of the Year 4 times. She also coached at the international level in Barbados, St. Lucia, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, Argentina and Mexico.
She was inducted into the University of Delaware Hall of Fame, and the American Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2003, Delaware Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Westport High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989.
As a lifelong athlete she participated in just about any sport that suited her fancy. She was a runner, enjoyed biking, played volleyball, tennis, racquetball, pickleball and was an avid golfer and was even involved in the Senior Olympics. Barb loved the beach, the ocean and especially the Westport River! She was a lover animals especially Schnauzers which she was the owner of 5 over the years, especially her most recent, her beloved Macie.
Survivors include her 2 sisters: Patricia A. Trecida of Tiverton and Mary T. Trepanier of Westport; nieces, Susan Bettencourt, Karen Medeiros, Jeanne Scott and Kate Wood; nephews, Alan Trecida, John Dyson, and Ryan Trepanier; 17 great nieces and nephews; and 9 great-great nieces and nephews.
She was the sister of the late Ann M. Dyson.
Services are private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Forever Paws at https://www.foreverpaws.com/donate