Obituary of Barbara Margaret

On March 14, 2019, Barbara Margaret passed away suddenly; beloved mother of Mara Rajput and husband Shashi, Carrie Jenkins and husband Keith; loving grandmother of Collin and Krista Jenkins, Reagan Rajput; devoted sister of Joe Newberger, Helen Streett, “Billy” Newberger (deceased), Mary Newberger, Kathy Roberts, Tim Newberger, Tom Newberger and Jim Newberger.  Also survived by her companion of 29 years, Bill McGraw.

Barbara was born in Baltimore, Maryland and attended St. Agnes School, Mount De Sales High School and Mount Saint Agnes College.  She began her career as a med tech and went on to earn her PhD in Microbiology at University of Maryland Dental School.  She was the first person to successfully grow a certain bacteria in the lab and got a chance to name it (Eubacterium yurii, subsp. margaretiae).  After a few years of research, she taught for 4 years at Baltimore City Community College and had a significant impact on disadvantaged students.  She was very well loved.

She fell in love with Bill McGraw of West Virginia and retired early to live in the mountains of Pennsylvania.  They enjoyed a life together sailing to the Bahamas on their sailboat and taking motorcycle rides to Sturgis, SD. 

She returned to her Catholic faith in Florida after seeing a woman, Lu Ballentine, who participated in a concert in a park with her choir.  Lu was in pajamas singing "I saw Momma kissing Santa Clause".  Barbara said she saw the "Fire of the Holy Spirit" in her eyes and went up to her afterwards to talk.  Without knowing her story, Lu said, "Come back to the church at St. Joseph's Sunday at 9."  She did what she said and when she entered St. Joseph's she heard in her heart, "Welcome Home".

Family and friends will honor Barbara's life on Monday, March 18, 2019 from 6-8pm at Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services - 910 SE Silver Springs Blvd. Ocala, Florida 34470. A funeral mass will be held Tuesday 11:00AM at St. Joseph Catholic Church - Silver Springs, Florida. Interment private.

A 4PM memorial mass will be held Thursday, March 21, 2019 at St. Peter Catholic Church - 16 E. High Street Hancock, Maryland 21750.