Barbara Spina

Barbara Spina (née Miller) was born October 14, 1964 in Bristol, Pennsylvania to Charles "Cholly" Miller and Louise Rogers. She was the fourth and final of four sisters, Linda, Debbie, and Annette. Ever fun-loving, Barbara was known always for her head-turning beauty and remembered for her kind, empathetic heart. 

On a business trip to Washington, D.C., with her friend and colleague, Stella, she would meet her future husband, Matthew, whom Stella knew was "smitten" with her at first sight (Barb would later admit she had no idea as to the meaning of the word). Their courtship was brief, and the couple quickly became engaged, to be wed in 1986. 

Barb was Matthew's rock, his everything, and the love of each other's lives.

Barbara's first son, Anthony, was born in August of 1988, and it was then that she knew she was always meant to be a mother. Her second son, Joseph, came into the world in September of 1990, and she gave them a childhood full of trips to the zoo, summers at the beach in Wildwood, NJ, and lots and lots of pizza.

Barb supported and loved her children in everything they did; she was seen and heard cheering at Joseph's soccer, hockey, basketball, and baseball games, and at Anthony's choir concerts, plays and musicals. The perennial "cool aunt," she is survived by a great many nieces and nephews whom she adored like her own children.

Barbara was an obsessive fan of Jon Bon Jovi, whose music could always be heard around their Levittown home. Barb was quite literally Bon Jovi's #1 Fan--she won an NBC News contest in 2002 dubbing her "The Biggest Bon Jovi Fan in the Delaware Valley." Together with Matt, Barb attended over 100 Bon Jovi concerts throughout her life. All who are reading this will surely associate Bon Jovi's music with Barb. When you hear Bon Jovi, know that that's Barb saying hi! 

Her selfless helpfulness is perhaps what Barbara was best known for. She had an uncanny ability to know exactly what you needed, even if you never asked--but it was never intrusive or out-of-line. Truly, her heart, her empathy, was her greatest superpower. She would listen to you for hours, never judging, and always alleviating you of your emotional pain. 

Barb was a fond lover of animals. She would excitedly watch for deer in her backyard every morning. Over the course of her life, she was Mommy to three dogs: Frisky, Spike, and Scrappy Doo. She is also survived by one grandkitty, D’Artagnan, whom she insisted was the handsomest, softest kitty in the world. 

Barbara had a noticeably admirable work ethic. Anyone who had been to her house knew it was always immaculate; she was even wont to clean her loved ones' houses for them without their even asking. Her two longest workplace tenures were at Educational Testing Service (ETS) and Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS), where she lit up the hallways with her bubbly demeanor. Everyone relied on Barb to do what they couldn't, which frequently involved her diligence and unsurpassed organizational skills. 

A young retiree, Barb and her devoted husband Matt spent this time of overdue relaxation frequenting the beaches and casinos of Atlantic City and going on numerous cruises. Barb looked forward to nothing more than her cruises, for her the ideal vacation.