| Date of Birth | December 1, 1949 |
| Passed Away | August 7, 2026 |
| Place of Residence | Hammondsport |
| Home State | NY |
Barbara Personius
Barbara E. (Shipman) Personius, 76, of Hammondsport, N.Y., passed away peacefully on Friday, August 7, 2026 at Steuben Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare.
She was born December 1, 1949 to Eunice (McDaniels) Bacon, who raised her alongside step-father, Leroy Bacon. She graduated from Hammondsport High School in 1967 and received her degree in nursing from Elmira College in 1971.
She was married to Richard A. Personius on November 5, 1970 in Hammondsport, N.Y. They spent 43 loving years together in their home on Reservoir Hill.
Barbara worked for her entire career as a registered nurse at the Bath VA Medical Center where she retired after over 30 years of service. During her employment at the VA, she was named the recipient of the Hands and Heart award in 2005, for providing outstanding care for veterans at the facility.
After retirement, she lovingly cared for her husband and was very active in her grandchildren’s lives. In her spare time she was involved in many hobbies and crafts, including quilting, wreath making, and painting ceramics, all of which she loved to do with her friends.
Barbara will be remembered by her family and friends as being selfless, loving, and for her great sense of humor.
She was predeceased by her husband, Richard and grandson, Austin Fowler.
She is survived by her sons; Richard (Tricia) Personius, Brian Personius and Kristopher (Mimi) Personius; Grandchildren, Julia Jordan, Damien Personius, Brianna Personius, Skylar Gifford, Terry Fowler, Brendan Personius; and great-grandson; Oliver Jordan.
Burial will be held at Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Hammondsport, N.Y. at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Finger Lakes SPCA in her memory.
Barbara’s family wishes to extend special thanks to the team at Steuben Center who took great care of her during her time there.
The Bishop & DeSanto Funeral Home, 35 Main St., HAMMONDSPORT is honored to assist Barbara’s family with the arrangements.
Online condolences or remembrances of Barbara are welcome below or on the Facebook page of Bishop-Johnson & Desanto Funeral Home.
Barb was my mother‑in‑law. I only called her “Mom” a few times, yet she cherished it every single time. She truly was an amazing mother, not just to her own children, but to anyone lucky enough to be loved by her. I was blessed to have a woman who cared for me, encouraged me, taught me, entertained me, and loved me with the same warmth my own mother gave me.
Barb and Dick showed me how family values and a loving marriage can shape your life. She was a shining example of how to love and care for people selflessly. She accepted everyone without judgment, offering only support, kindness, and a listening ear. She was funny and witty, always ready with a crafty retort, and if you were lucky, she gave you a goofy nickname. She loved making people smile. I will miss her stories, even the ones I’d heard a few times over, because each time she told them it gave her joy as if it were the first. They were pieces of her life, shared with honesty and humor.
Barb wasn’t a world traveler; she felt most comfortable in her own home. But the moment you stepped through her door, you were family. She made time for everyone. She welcomed me as a daughter, loved me like her own child, and made it easy for me to say, “I have the best mother‑in‑law ever.”
I will miss her so much
I love you, Mom.
Rest in peace.
Barb…an absolute GEM of a woman! Hugs to Rick and Tricia, Julia, Mimi and Chris, Brendan….and all who loved her and will miss her. Always a smile, always a positive attitude, always more concerned about others than herself…..and on….and on….and on. Reunited with Dick, rest in Peace Barb!
All of Barb’s best qualities live in legacy in my wife and son. I see her caring nature, matriarchal presence, creativity, and unique balance of wit and humor in them every day and count myself lucky to have fallen in with her family. Barb carried a lot in this life as a caregiver in many forms and I wish her well deserved rest. We will never stop missing and loving her.
She was my grandmas cousin , my grandmas kids and us her grandkids always called barb aunt Barbie , she was an amazing person and she was always such a sweetheart. Her and my grandma were very close and I am so lucky I got to spend time with aunt barb ❤️ you will be forever missed aunt Barbie ❤️❤️ I will never forget you.
R.I.P aunt Barbie I love you
Barb and I graduated from nurses training together and I also worked with her for 16 years at the Bath VA . She was a dedicated and respected nurse who really cared about the patients. She was a dear friend and colleague who was so much fun to communicate with. She always had the ability to see the humor in a stressful situation. I have many happy thoughts of her and will miss her as a true friend.
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Barb and I attended our first year of nursing school together at Craig Colony. That year led to a lifelong friendship. We had so many fun memories to cherish. She transferred schools to stay near and help her family… and that was Barb… all about family. She loved all of you and she loved her patients, loved being a nurse. And we loved that sense of humor, she knew how to phrase a comment. Thanks to Julia for keeping me in touch these past couple of years. I so appreciate it. Barb will be missed and forever in our hearts. 💕
Learned today of Barb’s passing, I worked with her for years at the VA, she was the best. She had a great sense of humor and always made the task fun, I will never forget her caring nature and the thoughtful care she provided. I visited her several times at the Nursing Home and we had great memories and stories to share together. I will always miss her smile. Fly high Barb. You earned it.💕
James and I (Cathy) Cocola just found out about the loss of Aunt Barb,
She was such a loving person and we loved visiting with her and Uncle Dick at their home and getting to meet with family and just hang out together so wish we could do that visiting more.
We were able to visit with her at the nursing facility a few times. She loved to talk about family and hold hands.
We will miss her greatly. She was so loved.