Barbara Edith Boviard

Barbara Edith Boviard passed away suddenly on Saturday, October 14 at her home in Reading, Massachusetts. She was 91.

Barbara was born in Augusta, Maine on June 17, 1932, and was the middle child of Otis Elliott Johnson and Edith Almeda (Erickson) Johnson. In 1953, she married James Thomas Boviard, Jr. at her parent’s home in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Barbara graduated from Perry Normal School (1953) where she majored in early childhood education and for 35 years served as director of Sawyer Nursery School in Reading. In 1971, she joined the Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading and in 1998, she was a founding member of the Ya Ya Book Club.  Barbara lived in the same home in Reading since 1961.

Barbara’s outgoing personality was infectious, and she made friends easily. She was spiritual and open-minded, and had several interests including cooking, reading thrillers, following politics, online shopping, and playing games on her iPad. When she was younger, she kept in shape with Jackie Sorenson’s aerobics and practiced yoga, long before it was popular.  Barbara was loved for her curiosity, optimism, high energy, and joyful heart.

Barbara is preceded in death by her husband, James Thomas Boviard, Jr., and son, James (Jay) Thomas Boviard, III, and her siblings Eleanor S. Weiss and Robert O. Johnson.

Barbara is survived by her daughter, Carolyn E. Boviard and her partner Robert W. Tuomanen of Reading, her daughter-in-law Judi Baer Boviard of Newton, Massachusetts, and her grandchildren Jeremy M. Boviard of Lakeville, Connecticut, Hallie M. Boviard of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, Katherine O. Costa of Barrington, New Hampshire, and Anastasia E. Costa and her husband Kyle Galuski of Watertown, Massachusetts.  Barbara is also survived by five nieces and a nephew, and many good friends.

Friends and family are welcome to attend the Memorial Service on Saturday, October 21 at 1 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading, 239 Woburn Street, Reading.   To honor her memory and in lieu of flowers, you may donate to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading, 239 Woburn Street, Reading, MA 01867  https://uureading.org/ or to The Friends of Reading Public Library at 64 Middlesex Ave, Reading, MA 01867, https://www.friendsofreadingpl.org/join-the-friends