Portland - Barbara Blake Blackwell passed away April 19, 2020 after several years of declining health. The last of the Blake clan, her husband George finally came and took her home to heaven. Barbara was born December 16, 1929, in Quincy, MA, the youngest of Thomas C and Theresa Drinan Blake's 11 children. Around 1931, the Blake family business was lost due to the Great Depression and the family moved to Cape Elizabeth, Maine. In 1940, the family moved to North Road in Yarmouth. She loved to tell stories of growing up in a large family during the Depression and WWII years. She attended Cape Elizabeth and Yarmouth schools graduating from North Yarmouth Academy in 1947. It was there that she met George Blackwell, the 'best looking guy in school' and they married on August 20,1949. For a brief time they lived in Yarmouth then moved to the Deering section of Portland around 1954 where she lived for 64 years. Her husband died unexpectedly in 1962. Needing to support her daughter, she sought work with meaning and returned to school, graduating from The Maine School of Practical Nursing (now SMCC) in 1965. As an LPN she worked at MMC for 5 years and then for 25 years at Vaughn Street Medical Associates, now InterMed, primarily for Dr. Louis Bove, retiring in 1994. During retirement she traveled the Western US, the Caribbean, the UK and Ireland. She was a long time member of St Joseph's Church, Women's Sodality, Legion of Mary and Mother's Club. She enjoyed artwork, created many paintings, trips to the ocean, her home, 'The Club Girls,' 'Blackwell Ladies' Luncheons' and being with friends. Family was paramount and she loved visiting with and hearing from her grandchildren, her siblings, nieces and nephews whom she loved so much. She provided a shoulder or lent an ear to those who needed it. She had much humor, wit and a great repertoire of songs and old sayings. In addition to her husband, George, she was predeceased by 3 brothers: Thomas, John, and Joseph Blake and 7 sisters: Mary Brown, Martha Greeley, Theresa O'Boyle, Helen Blake, Elizabeth Soule, Mildred Sweetser and Anne(Nancy) Doyle, and several nieces and nephews. She is survived by her daughter Judith Blackwell Smith and husband Robert; 2 grandsons, Matthew Smith and partner Holly Woodman, Andrew Smith and husband Nicholas Gill, and granddaughter Stephanie Smith; 2 great grandchildren Anna and Landon (Matthew); sisters-in-law Nancy Blackwell Faatz (Wright) and Joanne Blackwell Conley (David) and many nieces and nephews. We would like to thank everyone at Barron Center I and II for their professional, loving care given to Barbara. You made her journey better. A memorial service will be held at a later date when we can all gather together again. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to The Barron Center 1145 Brighton Ave Portland, ME 04102.