Barbara Helen Martin

Barbara Martin—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, teacher, and friend—passed away peacefully on August 21, 2025, just days before her 78th birthday.

Born in New York on August 29, 1947, Barbara was the eldest of four children and carried her proud Irish heritage with spirit and grace throughout her life.

In 1970, she married the love of her life, James Martin. For 55 years, Barbara and Jim shared a marriage built on devotion, respect, laughter, and adventure—including the bold move to Boca Raton after one especially harsh northern blizzard. To the very end, Barbara looked at Jim as if it were always the first time. They never spent a night apart.

Barbara touched countless lives as a gifted High School English teacher and CCD instructor for over 25 years. In every classroom—whether at school or around her kitchen table—she ignited curiosity, demanded excellence, and quietly instilled lessons of kindness and resilience. She was unforgettable to her students and left an indelible mark on generations of families.

She was a devoted and loving mother to her two daughters, Crissy (Eric) Foglesong and Cassie (Paul) Waller. But her greatest joy came from being “Grammy” to her seven grandchildren: Jameson, Mackinley, Collins, and Leighton Foglesong, and Emersyn, Madison, and Ethan Waller. For them, every visit with Grammy meant adventure, wisdom, and unconditional love.

Barbara’s life was extraordinary in its fullness. If you met her, you felt like you had known her forever. If you sat in her classroom, you never forgot the teacher who changed your life. If you were her friend, nothing was left unsaid. If you were her brother, you carried the history of her younger self. If you were her sons-in-law, you learned to listen, love her daughters, and listen again. And if you were her two girls, you learned to set a standard, savor a story, throw a party, and smile through heartbreak.

To all who knew her, she was faith-filled, fierce in love, and joyful in spirit. She defied time, outlasted every prediction, and lived with devotion, laughter, and grace.

Her family will celebrate her life on her 78th birthday, Friday, August 29, 2025 at 10:30 am at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Boca Raton, Florida, followed by a reception at American Social in Mizner Park, 12–3 pm.  To watch the live stream of the Funeral Mass please click the following link  http://youtube.com/@stjoanofarcboca/streams

Flowers may be sent to St. Joan of Arc Church (370 SW 3rd Street, Boca Raton, FL 33432).  In lieu of flowers, the family is establishing a scholarship fund at A.D. Henderson University School to honor Barbara’s legacy by awarding each year a graduating 8th grade student who exemplifies intellectual curiosity, kindness, compassion, and a love of learning.  http://fauf.fau.edu/funds/tribute/

As their song says:

Only you can make this world seem right.
Only you can make the darkness bright.
Only you, and you alone... you’re my dream come true,
my one and only you.

Her love was endless. Her laughter eternal. Her presence unforgettable.

-- Crissy & Cassie

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Barbara Helen Martin, please visit our floral store.