Barbara Signer

Barbara Signer, born Barbara Lucy, passed away last week in her Cambridge home at the age of 76. Born in New Jersey in 1938 to Frank and Esther Lucy, Barbara was raised in Los Alamos, New Mexico. She attended Radcliffe College before living in England and Paris, eventually settling in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After more than thirty years as a Periodical Librarian’s Assistant at Harvard’s Widener Library, Barbara retired in 2009.

Barbara was politically active for much of her life, working determinedly in support of political, environmental, and social causes, through donations, rallies, petitions, and letter writing. She worked for Barney Frank and, as part of the Nuclear Education Project group, published a book on parenting in the nuclear age. The friendships from which this group grew deepened over the years and continued to sustain her throughout her life.

Other interests included gardening, family, dance and theater, a voracious love of books, and spirituality. She converted to Judaism in her twenties, and found it a life long source of solace and support.

Barbara is survived by her two daughters, Kira and Rachel (Rae), her younger brother Richard Lucy (Dick), and a loving circle of family and friends across the globe. A memorial service will be held at the Wilson Chapel, 234 Herrick Road, in Newton Centre on Wednesday, July second at 11am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Nature Conservancy or the ACLU.