Barbara &uot;Bobbi&uot; Vincent Larison, 65, of Middletown, R.I., and formerly of Zuni, Va., passed away Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, in John Clarke Retirement Center in Middletown.

Born in Bloomfield, Conn. on Aug. 18, 1937, Bobbi was a daughter of the late Joseph Phelps Vincent and E. Rowena Washburn Vincent Merrill.

Formerly of Bloomfield, she traveled the U.S. and Japan as a U.S. Navy wife until her husband, Commander Donald Eddie Larison USN passed away in 1981. In 1979, they moved to a farm in Zuni, where Don and Bobbi raised Arabian horses, Bobbi’s &uot;childhood dream.&uot;

Bobbi graduated from Rogers High School in Newport, R.I. in 1955 and pursed higher education at Mt. Vernon Junior College in Washington, D.C. receiving an associate’s degree in 1957 and graduated from Katherine Gibb’s Secretarial School in Providence, R.I. in 1958. She was known for her roles as a librarian secretary for Nansemond-Suffolk Academy in Suffolk from 1981-2001, a U.S. Navy wife from 1964-1981, and as one of the first few employees of Raytheon (Connell Hwy.) as a clerk typist in Newport from 1959-1967.

She was an avid member of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Zuni, where she was active in teaching children’s Sunday School. She loved working with arts and crafts, enjoyed cooking and baking, and was an enthusiastic ice skating fan. She had compassion and understanding for children with special needs and sponsored many from around the world.

She leaves behind a son, John Vincent Larison of Savannah, Ga.; a daughter, Andrea Larison Masch of Richmond; a sister, Judith Vincent Stevens of Portsmouth, R.I.; a brother, Joseph Pattison Vincent of Norwood, Mass.; a step-sister/cousin, Patricia Merrill Budd of Portland, Maine; a step-father/uncle, Capt. Sidney Douglas Buxton Merrill USN of Portsmouth, R.I.; and her first grandchild on the way.

Bobbi’s memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway in Newport.

In lieu of flowers, Bobbi would have preferred donations being made to the Christian Children’s Fund, 2821 Emerywood Parkway, Richmond, Va. 23291. Phone 800-776-6767.