Barbara Rae (Bryant) Sanborn, 93, of Cape Elizabeth, passed away on June 3, 2025. Although she was "from away" Barbara always considered herself a resident of Cape Elizabeth, which she was for almost sixty years. Barbara was born on November 17, 1931, the second of three daughters of Raymond and Evelyn Bryant. She was raised in Belmont, MA, and graduated from high school there before her marriage to Charles E. Sanborn. They lived in Lexington and Bedford, MA, with their three children (Deborah, Amy, and Charles, Jr.) until a job transfer brought the family to Cape Elizabeth in 1967.

Unexpectedly widowed in 1971, Barbara began working at Cape Elizabeth High School, eventually becoming the secretary to the Assistant Principal. She later worked in a similar position at Cheverus High School in Portland. After retiring, Barbara volunteered her time for town activities by serving on several committees,  writing the "History Matters" column for The Cape Courier, and creating the coloring book to commemorate the Centennial of Fort Williams. Barbara's artistic interests included oil painting, ceramics, sewing, and small woodworking projects, and family and friends benefited from her creations. Barbara was also a voracious reader of mostly historical and biographical material. A prolific writer, Barbara documented the times of her life, researched the Sanborn family genealogy, and kept a journal of her travels, beginning with a cross country road trip in 1951and adding a chapter for each subsequent trip.

Barbara was predeceased by her husband, her son Charles, Jr., her granddaughter Barbara (Bowden) Braley, her parents, and her sister Priscilla (Bryant) Kinnear.

Barbara is survived by her daughters Deborah McDougall and Amy Berry and their husbands William McDougall and George Berry. She is also survived by her grandchildren Christopher and wife Jill (McKenzie) Bowden, Patrick Berry, Matthew Berry, Danielle (Sanborn) Linn and husband Richard, Jessica (Sanborn) Ryland and husband John, and Charles Sanborn III and significant other Lindsey Walker. Her sister Sandra (Bryant) Metts and her daughter-in-law Margaret (Palmer) Sanborn, as well as twelve great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren and additional extended family, also survive.

Barbara's family want to express their deep and heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Cape Memory Care for the  wonderful care they provided to Barbara during her final months.

Visitation will be held on June 13 at Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Road, South Portland, at 9:30 a.m., with a service at 10:30 a.m. and burial at Riverside Cemetery in Cape Elizabeth immediately following the service.

Memorial donations may be made to any of the following or to the charity of your choice.

American Heart Association

PO Box 840692

Dallas, TX 75284-0692

https://heart.org

American Diabetes Association

P.O. Box 7023

Merrifield, VA 22116

https://diabetes.org

Global Polio Eradication Initiative

PolioPlus, The Rotary Foundation,

14280 Collections Center Drive

Chicago, IL 60693

https://my.rotary.org/en/polioplus-fund