Obituary - Barbara Ann Sirles Westmoreland

WESTMORELAND, Barbara Ann Sirles, passed away unexpectedly from complications of cancer on August 31 at age 64. She fought the good fight against this disease for four years and is now no longer in pain. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Al and Barbara Sirles. Left behind to cherish her memory are Doug, her loving husband of 44 years, and sons Nik (wife Hannah and daughter Charlotte) and Charlie. She is survived by her brothers Scott (Louisa), Bruce (Becky), and Craig. Also surviving her are a niece (Genevieve), two nephews (Scott and Chris), and 16 cousins.

Born in Richmond on September 18, 1958, Barbara grew up in the Bryan Park and Sleepy Hollow neighborhoods of Henrico and graduated from Douglas Freeman High School in 1976. She attended Meredith College and VCU and earned her bachelor’s degree in English at UNC-Charlotte. After college she worked in the telecommunications division of Best Products, Executone, MCI and Wheat First Securities.

Following their wedding in 1979, Barbara and Doug moved to Charlotte but returned to Richmond in 1983. Some of her most cherished high school memories were singing in the choir at Douglas Freeman, and she continued her love of music as a member of the choir at First Presbyterian Church of Richmond, where, in later years, she did volunteer work in the church office.

An excellent chef and hostess and a voracious reader of both novels and nonfiction, she was usually seen with her hands cradling a good book and her infectious sense of humor lighting up a room. Even toward the end of her battle with cancer, she greeted you, not with complaints about her increasing physical discomfort, but with a near-perpetual smile, and at dinnertime she was always ready to toast you with a raised glass of Johnny Walker scotch or Tito’s vodka. She loved her family dearly, including all her dogs, and her latest canine BFF, Lucy, gave her much comfort in her final year.

The family wishes to give special thanks to Dr. Rachna Raman and her staff at St. Mary’s Hospital as well as to the caring folks at St. Mary’s Infusion Center, who supported her in her courageous fight. Contributions honoring her memory may be made to the charity of your choice.

You are invited to join in a celebration of Barbara’s life at First Presbyterian Church (4602 Cary Street Road) at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, September 11. If you can attend, she would want you to wear bright colors!