Welcome to the
memorial page for
Barbara P. Bland
January 29, 1943
~September 24, 2024
OBITUARY
SERVICE DETAILS
Barbara Patricia Bland was born on a frosty winter day, on January 29, 1943, to her loving parents Damon Brown, Sr. and Wendelle LaRue Brown. Barbara was born the third of six children and their first daughter. While cold outside, she was born into this world with warm and loving surroundings in the LaRue family home in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey.
Barbara, affectionately nicknamed “Sissy” by her siblings, had the nickname quickly adopted by neighborhood friends and family. She was “Mom, Aunt Barbara and Aunt Sissy,” to scores of children, some even included her first cousins. However, her biological children are Debbie, David, Kellie, Timmy, Eric and Nicole.
A tireless and constant provider for her six children, Barbara worked multiple jobs before finally earning her Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) licensure from Monmouth County Vocational School. Her children remember this as one of the proudest moments in her life. The night before her graduation, she humbly and meticulously prepared her white uniform, white shoes, white stockings and her pristine coveted nurse’s cap crisp and starched to uniform perfection.
Armed with the long awaited and well-earned LPN, Barbara started what would turn into over a thirty-five-year career at Monmouth Medical Center and over thirty years with the Stouffer Nurses Staffing Agency as a private duty nurse. This was in addition to other private nursing agencies.
As the family matriarch, Barbara embarked on the next phase of her life, she was “Grandmother” to her twenty (20) grandkids, and “Ma,” to thirteen (13) great-grandchildren. What her children thought they may have lacked growing up; it was made up through their own children as Grandmother took her grandchildren on trips, she longed for as a mother. The grandchildren had season passes to Great Adventure, with grandmother often sending the parents a text invoice for payment after she purchased the passes. She rode roller coasters, water slides and went on safari jaunts. This was standard even after she had just worked a midnight shift.
Mom would go on vacation three times a year, and there was always an excursion with her extended church family from the Light of the World Apostolic Faith church in Asbury Park. There was mutual love and respect between Mom and the church members. Mom often referred to the First Lady Gloria as her sister and loved Bishop Ashley Stewart and First Lady Gloria Stewart like no other.
Members of Light of the World Apostolic Faith Church would soon become Mom’s second family, where she would spend many holidays, weekends, shopping excursions and so many other opportunities to celebrate life and God’s love with them.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Damon and Wendelle (LaRue) Brown, Sr, her two brothers, Robert N. Brown, Sr., and Damon, Jr., and her grandson Joshua David Bland.
Barbara departed her earthly life on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. Left to cherish her memory are her children, Debbie Buffaloe-Freeman of Westampton, NJ, David Brown, I (Bonita) Long Branch, Kellie Drakeford LeDet (Cory) Neptune, Timothy Bland (Pamela) Beachwood, Eric Bland of Long Branch, Wendy-Nicole Bland of Long Branch; her grandchildren, Harry Freeman, III, Lauren-Ashleigh Benitez (Maurice), Michael T. Bland, Brittany Freeman, Ebony Henry (Ravon, Sr.), Kumase’ Canales (Justin Jones), David A. Brown, II, Kiera A. Brown, Kobe M. Brown, Shania-Brielle Turner-Bland, Amani Bland, Camarie Brown, Alexus Brown, Kam’ron Brewinton, and Autra Renee Brown; her great-grandchildren, Joshua Davis, Layla and Michayla Bland, Blayr Freeman, Ella Davis, Alina Ellis, Quateek Smith, Rayvon Henry Jr., Juan Benitez, Kobe Smith, Bria Joelle Smith, Richard Benitez and Valentina Bland; Barbara’s siblings, Gwendolyn Dickson, Min. Douglas Brown, William Brown (Ophelia) NJ and sister-in-law, Bernice Brown.