Barbara Enid (Cohen) Blander, 87, died on June 20, 2026. Born in New York, New York, she moved to the North Shore in 1966 (Marblehead, then Swampscott in 1967) with her late husband Charles, to set up his OB/GYN practice here. After decades in their Blodgett Avenue home, she moved to Brooksby Village in 2023.
Proud graduate of the Mount Sinai School of Nursing in 1960, she worked as a surgical scrub nurse, then transitioned to running Charles’ Lynn practice. She subsequently worked in home hospice care, then continued her work in the
medical field in surgical instrument and pharmaceutical sales.
She was a former equestrian, ballet dancer, and animal lover. Her formidable memory made her an ace at the New York Times crossword, which she did every day, and only in ink. She was a gourmet cook with a wry sense of humor; for years a sign reading, “Complaints to the cook can be hazardous to your health” hung over her kitchen sink. She loved throwing dinner parties and decorating the house for whatever holiday was at hand.
After her upbringing in New York City, she maintained a lifelong appreciation of both performing and visual arts. She volunteered for many years as a docent at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. Always a perfectionist (with legendary penmanship) she instilled in her children the importance of only being satisfied with giving their best effort.
Barbara is pre-deceased by Charles L. Blander, her beloved husband of 58 years; her parents Annette and Leon Cohen, and her twin sister Brenda Hall. She leaves behind her children: Andrea Blander (Seattle, Washington) and her husband Pete Huie; Daniel Blander (Marblehead) and his wife Leigh; and beloved grandchildren: Molly, Olivia, Andre, Marcelo, Liam and Dylan.
Barbara will be greatly missed. In her memory, please consider a donation to the Audubon Society or the American Civil Liberties Union.
