Barbara E. (Axt) McTighe

Barbara E. McTighe of Ipswich passed away suddenly in her home on June 7th 2026.  She was 83 years old.

Born in Boston, MA in 1942, she lived in Newton Center, and graduated from Newton High School in 1960.  Upon graduation, Barbara attended the MacMurray College and the Modern School of Fashion Design.

She spent the summers working on Cape Cod where she met her future husband Dennis.  After living in Ontario, Canada they moved permanently to the US, eventually settling in Ipswich in 1972.  Barbara worked as a secretary, then as a visiting home health aide, eventually earning her degree in nursing.  She worked for many years at the Brookehouse Home in Salem before her retirement.

She was an avid reader, loved trivia, and had a passion for the game Rummikub, often leading groups in playing for hours at a time.  She loved collecting Heisey glass and was always on the lookout for that next prize piece to display.  Over the years, her collection grew to include thousands of pieces she proudly displayed in her Topsfield Rd. home.

Barbara leaves behind her son John McTighe and his wife Kim, of Ipswich, and two grandsons, Andy and Chris, also of Ipswich.  She was predeceased by Dennis, her husband of 46 years, her sister Carolyn Axt, and her parents William and Emily Axt.

A funeral service will be held Thursday  June 18th.  at  10:00 A.M.  at the Morris Funeral Home  45 North Main Street, Ipswich.  Burial will follow in the Cowles Memorial Cemetery  29 Town Farm Road, Ipswich.  A hour of visitation will be in the funeral home Thursday prior to the service from  9:00 to 10:00 A.M., relatives and friends are respectfully invited.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the National Kidney Foundation on their website at www.kidney.org.

To send a letter of condolence to Barbara's family please go to:  MorrisFH.com .

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