With great sadness, the family of Barbara LeFort, 72, announces her passing on August 31, 2017.
For 30-plus years, she was a foster parent with the Attleboro/Taunton DCF office, sharing her home and family to well over 300 hundred children, many of whom remained lovingly with her as part of the family long after DCF ended their involvement. All who passed through her doors felt love and support. Helping foster children became her way of life. In 2011, Barbara received recognition for her many years of service, and was honored with a “Governor’s Citation” presented by Mayor Dumas.
Throughout her earlier years, in addition to working as a dispatcher for the Attleboro Police Department, she enjoyed raising and showing Japanese akita’s and dobermans, registered with the American Kennel Club. Many of her dogs won various spots in the arena, including Best of Show. She was also very involved in the Rhode Island Young Marines. She enjoyed going to Foxwoods to play bingo or traveling the mountain roads in New Hampshire and Maine.
Barbara was very fortunate to have an amazing journey through life and shared this with her family, both biological and fosters, often difficult to distinguish the difference, all considered her Ma or Grandma.
She is the widow of the late Russell LeFort, and is survived by her siblings Joan, Mary, Pat, Gene, and Dennis, and biological children Dean and Gloria, and the late Robert, as well as eight grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and great grandchildren, and her lifelong foster/guardians Christine, Michael, Erik, Kyle, and Christopher.
Rest now with Angels.
A small memorial service will be held this Friday, Sept 8, 2017, at 5 p.m., at All Saints Anglican Church, 1188 South Main St. Attleboro.
She will be laid to rest with her late husband Russell at the Veterans Memorial in Exeter, at the family’s discretion.