Barbara Jaquette Willoughby

Barbara Jaquette Willoughby, a woman of elegance, grace, and unwavering strength, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at the age of 88. She was predeceased by the love of her life, Richard Earl Willoughby (Dick), whom she first met when they shared the stage in a high school play—an early scene that marked the beginning of a lifelong love story.

Barbara was born in Philadelphia, PA, on December 13, 1936, to Marcus Jaquette and Elizabeth Pore and grew up in Wilmington, Delaware. A 1954 graduate of P.S. duPont High School, she worked her way through Goldey-Beacom College with quiet determination and an unmatched work ethic. These qualities would define her life and inspire everyone who knew her.

She and Richard married in 1959 and spent 61 years together. Their love was like something out of a fairy tale, and they built a life filled with fun, laughter, and adventure. Their home was always welcoming, and everyone was greeted with a warm hug upon arriving.

In her professional life, Barbara worked as a medical assistant at an ophthalmology practice and later as a medical research assistant at AstraZeneca, retiring in 2006. But her passions extended far beyond her career. A collector of antiques and an avid gardener, Barbara had an artist’s soul. Her love of flower arranging became legendary among family and friends—especially the stunning arrangements she created for her daughters' and granddaughters’ weddings.  She hosted elegant dinners with fine china and silver, turning even the simplest gatherings into grand occasions. Her creativity extended to everything she touched.  Even modest gifts, like the angel ornaments she bought for her grandkids each Christmas, were wrapped so exquisitely that the packages became works of art themselves.  Her children and grandchildren grew to respect her incredible talent for bow making after she tried teaching them all one evening in a “workshop” that ended as a tangled mess but was filled with laughter. 

Travel was one of her favorite things, especially the adventures she shared with her beloved Richard. Closer to home, some of her most cherished memories were from family trips to the Outer Banks, surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

Her style and poise were unmatched, but it was her fierce independence and quiet resolve that made the deepest impression. She taught her children the value of self-reliance, the dignity of hard work, and the importance of doing everything—big or small—with care, creativity, and intention.

She is survived by her three daughters: Kay Hossler (Palmer), Carol Willoughby Ohm, and Lisa Arnold (Andrew); her six grandchildren: Megan Stoltzfus (Adam), Michelle Garrigan (Matthew), Matthew Ohm, Alyssa Durtisky (Ryan), Lindsay Arnold, and Morgan Ohm; her five great-grandchildren: Layla Garrigan, Mya Duritsky, Colson Duritsky, Parker Stoltzfus, and Elizabeth Garrigan; and her sister, Georgia Smith.

Her legacy of beauty, strength, and love will live on in the lives she touched and in the memories she helped create. She will be deeply missed. But her family finds comfort in knowing that she is now in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and that she has been reunited with her favorite person, with whom she is surely dancing cheek-to-cheek.

Funeral services will be held privately.

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