Obituary of Barbara D. Martire

Barbara Martin Martire ("Ma" to all), of Trumbull, passed away Friday morning following a brief illness. Ms. Martire was born in Bridgeport Ct in 1938 to the late Jimmy and Marie (Santako) Martin. She graduated from Bassick High School in 1957 and spent the next several years living in California and Florida before settling in her native Bridgeport to single-handedly raise her four children. For more than 40 years Ms. Martin was the supervisor for the school crossing guards of the city of Bridgeport, a Herculean career of immeasurable importance to the city. A fierce card player, story-teller, devoted fan of Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland, member of the Red Hat Society, treasurer of her local AARP, and lover of musical theatre, she lived a life that burst at the seams with superlatives. Ms. Martire will be sorely missed by the many friends she made through all of her everyday adventures. In recent years she made her home on Pinewood Lake in Trumbull, the place her family has spent their summers for four generations, where she proudly presided over her fiercely close-knit clan as it's matriarch. She is survived by her brother Jimmy Martin, his wife Marcia son James and Tammy Martin of Fairfield, her children, Mandy and Tony Cusello of Trumbull, Tammy and Jeff Rizzardi , of Shelton, Kara and Bill Jones, of Bridgeport, and Jon and Andrea Gendron, of Bridgeport. She leaves behind five grandchildren, Shannon Marie Cusello of Washington, DC, Brian Rahrig and Jessica Rahrig of Florida, AJ Cusello of Trumbull, and Kristina Rizzardi of Shelton, step-grandchildren David Markey of Bridgeport and Michele Markey of Florida, many nieces and nephews, and her longtime companion Julius Ricitelli. She is pre-deceased by an infant brother, Richard. Funeral Information Funeral services will take place on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. in the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Rd., Trumbull. Interment will follow in Mountain Grove Cemetery, Bridgeport. Friends may call on Monday from 4-8 p.m.