Barbara Matous, beloved wife and mother, peacefully entered eternal life on Wednesday, February 24, at her home in Penn Run, Pennsylvania.
She is mourned by her husband of 55 years, George Matous, and their seven children: Gregory Matous (wife Nagla, son Ramzi); Bridgett Sanders (husband Tim, daughter Brittany); Cynthia Kramer (husband Kyle, children Eva, Clare, and Eli); Diane Matous; Catherine Sienkiewicz (husband Jeremy, children Mary, Jude, Leo, Lucy, and Genevieve); Teresa Ingraffia (husband Burke) and Anthony Matous (wife Bonnie, children Ben, Becca, Sara, and Alex).
Barbara was born on March 4, 1941, in Louisville, KY, the youngest child of Dr. Joseph Skees Parker and Mary Marcella (Hayden) Parker. As a young woman, she studied at Nazareth College in Louisville before moving to Washington, DC, to pursue a master’s in nursing at the Catholic University of America. There, at a dance for Catholic singles, she met George Matous, a newly minted doctor of physics, who was working at the Naval Research Lab. George was instantly smitten by the beautiful and cultured lady, and has never recovered since.
George and Barbara married less than a year later. They moved first to Worcester, MA, and shortly thereafter to Indiana County, PA, where Barbara, the well-mannered girl from the city, soon found herself milking goats, canning vegetables, and raising seven children at the same time.
As her children began to grow up, Barbara offered care and kindness to many people as a Hospice volunteer for almost 25 years. With George, she faithfully visited the SCI-Pine Grove Prison every week for over 15 years, bringing friendship and guidance to the prisoners. She actively supported many charities doing outreach to the poor. Among her favorites was Food for the Poor, which led her and George to join a trip to Nicaragua, to see firsthand the needs of the people and the projects they had been supporting.
Her Kentucky roots have always been shown through her love of bluegrass music and her gracious hospitality. Many visitors and family friends retain warm memories of her attentiveness, dry sense of humor, and superior blueberry pies. She took great delight in visits from her children and grandchildren. She was in endless pursuit of the perfect cup of coffee. Her lifelong curiosity about human nature, the world around us, and her Christian faith inspired in her children a love of learning.
She was preceded in death by her parents, five siblings, and infant son.
Her children, along with her husband and cherished friends, will gather to pray her into Heaven at the little church that saw them all grow up. All are invited to join them.
Friends will be received on Sunday, February 28 from 3:00-4:00 PM, followed by the rosary at the McCabe~Roof Funeral Home, 565 Franklin St., Clymer. Additional visitation will be held on Monday, March 1, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am with her Mass of Christian burial to following at 11:00 AM at the Church of the Resurrection in Heilwood, PA with Fr. Matthew Palkowski as celebrant. Internment will follow at St. Patrick cemetery in Cameron’s Bottom. Face masks and social distancing is required.
On line condolences may be made at www.mccaberooffh.com.
