Eleanor M. Barra

Eleanor M. (DelVecchio) Barra, 98, of Southington and formerly of Cheshire peacefully passed away with her family by her side on March 05, 2022, at The Summit of Plantsville. She had been the loving wife of the late Nicholas Barra.

Eleanor was born on October 11, 1923, in New Haven to the late Pasquale and Maria (DeFelice) DelVecchio.

Eleanor’s devotion to her daughters, Maria and Paula, who has Down Syndrome was the catalyst for supporting countless families like her own, raising a child with disabilities. With her husband Nicholas, they created the Cheshire Association for Retarded Citizens (CARC) and later on, helped establish COCO (Cheshire Occupational Career Opportunities), a non-profit day program to support adults with developmental disabilities (now known as Abilities Without Boundaries).

In 1966, Eleanor started working at Cheshire Nursery as the bookkeeper, retiring in 1996. The nursery family held a special place in her heart. Later in life, Eleanor and Paula made their home with her daughter Maria, her husband, Stephen and her four grandchildren for 18 years. 

Steady in her faith, Eleanor was a longtime member of St. Thomas Becket Church in Cheshire now known as Saint Bridget of Sweden Church of Cheshire.

Eleanor is survived by her daughters; Maria Barra Proffitt and her husband Stephen and Paula Barra all of Southington, her grandchildren; Matthew Proffitt and his wife Jennifer; Nicole Nemczuk and her husband Steven; Daniel Proffitt and his wife Lauren; and Rachel Proffitt and her boyfriend Edward Caperna, 6 great-grandchildren with one on the way, and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband and parents, Eleanor was predeceased by seven brothers and sisters, Pauline, Mary, Frank, Alfred, Ernest, Ann DelVecchio, Louise Parrillo and her godson Lucian Parrillo.

The family also wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to her caregivers, Sr. Rosario of the Franciscan Life Center and Stacy Rubino, for their excellent love and care provided to Eleanor for the past six years. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Eleanor’s memory may be made to Abilities Without Boundaries, 615 W. Johnson Ave, Cheshire, CT 06410 (https://abilitieswithoutboundaries.org/).

Funeral services will be held at 9:00 a.m., on Friday, March 11, 2022, from the Plantsville Funeral Home, 975 S. Main St, Plantsville with a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Bridget of Sweden Parish, 175 Main St, Cheshire. Burial will follow in St. Bridget Cemetery, Cheshire. Calling hours will be held from 5 - 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 10, 2022, at the Plantsville Funeral Home. For online condolences and directions, please visit www.plantsvillefuneralhome.com.