In Memory of

Barbara

A

Tobiason

(Griffin)

Obituary for Barbara A Tobiason (Griffin)

TOBIASON, Barbara A. (Griffin) of Westford, formerly of Winchester, passed away on September 4, 2018. Born in Boston on March 6, 1940, Barbara was the daughter of William and Anne (O’Connor) Griffin. She grew up in Belmont, graduating from from Belmont High School in 1957. She went on to earn a degree in business from Simmons College in 1961.

In her early career, Barbara worked for Educational Services, Inc., an educational book publishing company in Cambridge. While raising her daughters, she worked as an administrative assistant at Crawford Memorial United Methodist Church in Winchester, Lesley University, and later the Chamber of Commerce in Winchester.

Her hobbies included traveling—especially to her parents’ native Ireland—, spending time with family at home and at the family summer cottage in Hollis, NH, taking day trips to the North Shore, doing crossword puzzles, and keeping in touch with family near and far. She could do a mean Charleston and loved chocolate, especially in her later years.

After a nine-year courtship, Barbara married Lawrence F. Tobiason of Arlington in 1967. They celebrated their 51st anniversary in May. In addition to her husband Larry of Westford, Barbara leaves her three daughters: Jennifer Martin and her husband Brad of Plymouth, MN, Sarah Bjorkman and her husband Magnus of Arlington, and Jessica Tobiason and her husband Josh Bluestein of Westford. She was Nana to Andrew, Benjamin, & Thomas Martin and Tobias & Jacob Bluestein. Barbara was predeceased by her sister Stephanie Griffin Dubinsky. In addition to her immediate family, she leaves her nephew Liam Dubinsky of Pacheco, CA, her niece Miriam Dubinsky of Denver, CO, many cousins in the US and Ireland, and an extended network of in-laws and their families.

Visiting hours will be held at the Lane Funeral Home, 760 Main St. (Rte. 38), WINCHESTER on Friday September 7th from 3-7pm. A funeral service will be celebrated at the Parish of the Epiphany, 70 Church St., Winchester, on Saturday, September 8th at 11am. Interment to follow at Wildwood Cemetery, Winchester. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Barbara's memory may be made to Care Dimensions Hospice House, 125 Winter St., Lincoln, MA 01773 or to St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 75 Cold Spring Rd., Westford, MA 01886. For online condolences please visit www.lanefuneral.com.