Barbara Gail (Kimsey) Morehouse, 78, of Goffstown, peacefully entered into God’s kingdom on the morning of Thursday, June 8, 2023 after a lengthy illness at Hillsborough County Nursing Home.
Born in Chicago, Illinois on January 21, 1945, Barbara was the daughter of Gerald Hubert Kimsey and Julia (Colby) Blanche. She had two brothers, David Kimsey and Brian Beardsley and a sister, Deb (Beardsley) Elertson. Barbara grew up in Whitewater, Wisconsin. As a child, she attended the Order of the Eastern Star, a Masonic appendant body attending St John's Masonic. She spoke of many fond memories of her childhood and the one that made her smile the most was talking about holding hands with her best girlfriend JoAnn as they walked to Kindergarten together. She also fondly recalled Friday night sleepovers at her Nana’s home. As a teenager, she enjoyed cheerleading at Whitewater High School and waitressing at the Coffee Cup on Main St. She also was known to have a bit of a wild side, sneaking off to catch the Beatles at Comiskey Park.
Barbara met her future husband, Steven L. Morehouse on the steps of their apartment building on 76th Street in New York City where she lived on the third floor and he lived on the fourth. Their first date was to Coney Island and not long after he whisked her off her feet to marry her in the beautiful city of Acapulco, Mexico on July 14, 1967. They traveled the world before settling down and starting a family of their own. Together, they welcomed two children into the world, Steven David Morehouse and Candace May (Morehouse) Abood. They enjoyed a long partnership until Steve’s passing in 2017. Barbara spent her time raising the children and running the household. The focus was always love of family and love of God. In her free time, Barbara was found in her office surrounded by books, sewing machine and music. She loved to sing, paint and write poetry. She could not get enough Root Beer and very much enjoyed the occasional strawberry milkshake. She had a smile that could light up a room and infectious joy in the face of so much adversity.
Barbara had an incredible love of God and an insatiable curiosity about Catholicism leading to her conversion to Catholicism at the age of 70 (although she would say, “Seventy and a half.”). She grew very close over the last years of her life to the man who sponsored her in her conversion, Gerry, who was also lovingly known as her “Godfather”.
Up until the very end of her life, Barbara led with grace and love. Her last words, “I love you”, were said with so much life force energy that there is no question those words were rooted so deeply in her soul and said with intention to stay forever in our hearts.
She is survived by her sister, Deb Elertson and nieces Kelly Streib, Sarah Kloskey and Jessica Lyon of Wisconson, children: Steven D. Morehouse and wife Kira of Manchester, Candace (Morehouse) Abood and Jamie Abood of Concord; 6 Grandchildren Sophia, Grace, Savannah, John, Michael, and Kaylin.
She was predeceased by her husband, Steven L. Morehouse; brothers David Kimsey and Brian Beardsley.
The family would like to thank the staff at Hillsborough County Nursing Home and Home Health and Hospice Care for the loving care that they provided. They would also like to thank Bouffard Funeral Home and St. Lawrence Church. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 10:00am at St. Lawrence Church, 1 E. Union St. Goffstown, NH, followed by a committal at Blossom Hill Cemetery in Concord, NH. Donations may be made in her name to National Alliance on Mental Illness New Hampshire at naminh.org.