This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

Barbara Morris Louria, 88, a 32-year resident of Madison and prior to that New Canaan and more recently of Charlottesville, Virginia, passed away on Feb. 23, after a heroic battle with Alzheimer’s.  Born Jan. 29, 1933,  the only child of John and Julia Novak Morris of Byram, working-class parents who themselves never completed high school, Barbara put herself through Lasell Junior College, sparking a life-long love of education and learning that included graduating from Sarah Lawrence College during pregnancies five and six of her seven children, various MBA courses upon returning to the workforce, and finally a master’s in marriage and family therapy from Fairfield University at age 64.

Public relations was an early calling at Daniel J. Edelman and Associates and later Seligman & Latz, but counseling became her true passion, first at Catholic Family Services and then in private practice well into her 80s. If not coined for her, the moniker “super mom” absolutely applied, as she juggled her professional career, educational pursuits, and raising seven children. Her Catholic faith was a constant source of strength and inspiration.   A fixture at daily Mass both at St. Margaret’s Parish in Madison and more recently the Church of the Incarnation in Charlottesville, her faith in and love of family was the other pillar in Barbara’s life.   Her beloved husband of 40 years, Lee, and her eldest son, Christopher, preceded her in death.   She is survived by her children, Leigh Louria and Douglas Jennings of Somerset, Virginia, Susan Ruggiero and husband Robert of Madison, Tyler Louria and wife Laura of Richmond, Virginia, Amanda Louria of Crockett, California, Reed Louria of Charlottesville, Virginia, and Myles Louria and wife Mia of Richmond, Virginia. She also leaves behind nine grandchildren, Allison (Ruggiero) Gallegos and husband Juan, Meredith Ruggiero, Emily Ruggiero, John Ruggiero, Matthew Louria, Brendan Louria, Morgan Louria, Barrett Louria, and Miller Louria.

Barbara was many things, a career woman, a wife, mother, grandmother, breast cancer survivor, an advocate for pancreatic cancer research, and a voracious reader, but perhaps above all else, she was a kind soul who cared deeply for her family, and for those that didn’t have anyone else to care for them.

Family and friends were invited to meet and attend a Mass of Christian burial on March 1 in St. Margaret Catholic Church, Madison, with a private committal at Hillside Cemetery, Wilton. Funeral services were under the care of the Clancy-Palumbo Funeral Home, East Haven. In lieu of flowers and in honor of Barbara’s love of reading, memorial contributions may be made in Barbara’s name to the Scranton Library, 801 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT, 06443 (www.scrantonlibrary.org), or, in recognition of the incredibly compassionate care Barbara received at the end of her life, the Hospice of the Piedmont, c/o Advancement Department, 675 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 300, Charlottesville, VA 22911 (www.hopva.org/donate-online-now).