ST. PETERSBURG, FL: Barbara May (Spittle) Saunders, 81, passed away peacefully with her family at her side on March 22, 2012, in the care of Hospice in St. Petersburg, Florida. She was the wife of the late Daniel D. Saunders, who died in 2010. They had shared sixty years of marriage.
Born in Gloucester on May 23, 1930, she was the daughter of the late David C. Spittle and Mildred E. (Jameson) Spittle Hoyt. She had lived the majority of her life in Gloucester.
After her graduation from Gloucester High School in 1948, she was a loving homemaker and mother to her four children. She had also been employed at Le Page’s in Gloucester for a few years.
She is survived by her brother and sister, Roy Spittle and Esther Marshall both of Gloucester; her son, Daniel and his wife Marie of Chicago, Illinois; daughter, Faye of Palo Alto, California, son, Mark and his wife Beverly of Gloucester, and son, Scott and his wife Charlotte of St. Petersburg, Florida; grandchildren, Amy Saunders, Colleen Saunders, Robin Fortado, Chloe Linn and Schuyler Linn as well as several nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her best friend, Grace Markuson, with whom she always enjoyed tea. She was also predeceased by her sister, Mary (Spittle) Ryan.
Her children and grandchildren will remember her as a loving and caring mother and grandmother who always had a smile and the kindest of words and advice they will forever cherish. The family took pleasure in their visits to West Wharf in their summer apartment, enjoying the views and conversations.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 21st in the Trinity Congregational Church, Middle Street, Gloucester at 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. Contributions in Barbara's memory may be made to the Shriner’s Hospital, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114. Interment will be held in the Seaside Cemetery.