CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF MOLLY BARROW

May 9, 1926 - October 4, 2022

Marilyn Anne Cookman “Molly” Barrow, 96, of Somerset, Virginia, died Tuesday, October 4, 2022, at her home. She was born May 9, 1926, in Glendale, California, the daughter of the late Alfred and Rebecca Clark Cookman. She married John Curtis Barrow on June 4, 1949, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and he preceded her in death in 1987, as did her son John Christopher Barrow in 1955, and two sisters, Elizabeth Cookman Ainscow and Dorothy Cookman Sprague. 

Survivors include her five children, Patricia Rios (Francisco) of Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain; Mary Barrow of Gordonsville, Virginia; Jeffrey Barrow of Columbia, Missouri; Sarah Hurlbert (Dan) of Stanley, Virginia; and Rebecca Forencich (Sam) of Lake Oswego, Oregon; as well as six grandchildren, Carlos and Alexandra Rios-Barrow; Christopher and Jessica Hurlbert; Alex and Travis Forencich; and four great-grandchildren, Daniel and Adrian Garcia-Rios and twins Elena and Gianna Rios-Lopez. She also is survived by her sister Sylvia Cookman Hnat of New Jersey, and her sister-in-law Evelyn Barrow Jackson of California, and many nieces and nephews.

Molly graduated in 1945 from Vail Deane Girls School in New Jersey and studied singing at the Juilliard School in New York City. After meeting her husband at the U.S. Naval Academy and their subsequent marriage, she worked as a Navy wife supporting her husband’s career during 32 years of active service, rearing their five children and moving to more than a dozen duty stations on both coasts of the United States. She served as leader of Navy wives organizations, including two combat tours in Vietnam with jet fighter squadron VF-32 in 1966 and aircraft carrier USS Oriskany (CVA-34) in 1972.

The couple retired in 1981 to the antebellum house “Frascati” in Somerset, Virginia, designated a state and national historic landmark. They joined Christ Episcopal Church in Gordonsville, Virginia, where she joined the Episcopal Church Women’s Group, sang in the choir and became a Daughter of the King. She was a member and past president of the Dolley Madison Chapter of the Garden Club of Virginia, a member of the Montpelier Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Friends of Montpelier, and the Orange County Historical Society, and she valued her association with the Somerset Social Society.

Molly enjoyed tennis, swimming and gardening. She was skilled at sewing, knitting, needlepoint, cooking and flower arranging. She loved to travel and she always focused on family, making numerous side-trips to visit her extended family and hosting family get-togethers in the 20 houses where she lived with her beloved husband. She also took many trips to Europe and Asia to visit her husband on his naval cruises, often following the ship from port-to-port. When he reached the rank of Rear Admiral and served as the Naval politico-military director at the Pentagon, she accompanied him to embassies in Washington, DC, and joined him on diplomatic trips to South America and Mexico. After her husband’s death, Molly took several pleasure cruises to Europe, Asia and the South Pacific with her daughter Mary, and she enjoyed traveling to family reunions, weddings and anniversaries.

The family is grateful to the staff of Legacy Hospice and especially to Heartfelt Care and the team of caregivers for the professional, compassionate and loving care they provided our beloved mother. Molly had a beautiful and long life, and we are grateful she passed away peacefully in her home. We will always cherish her precious memory and we hope to follow her example of generosity, kindness and love.

A service in Celebration and Thanksgiving for the Life of Molly Barrow is scheduled at 2:00 pm, Saturday, January 7, 2023, at Christ Episcopal Church, 310 North High Street, Gordonsville, Virginia.