Obituary of Barbara Pasquino

Born February 12, 1931 in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England to James and Gladys Capes.  Barbara met her husband Al on a blind date when he was stationed with the Air Force in England. They were married in St. James Church in Grimsby on February 9, 1952, and because the King had just passed and the country was in mourning, the church bells could not be rung in celebration of their marriage.  While in London on their honeymoon, they stood for over three hours in a misty cold fog to view the late King. 

Barbara loved to sing (she secretly wanted to be an opera singer) and to dance.  During World War II, she danced on the stage in Grimsby and other nearby towns in northern England.  Because of her experiences as a child during WWII, Barbara spoke many times to local Summerville school classes on what it was like during those difficult years -- running to air raid shelters, living on rations, her school being bombed, being separated for years from her father as he fought for England, and then celebrating in the streets for VE and VJ Days.  

At 15 years of age, Barbara finished school and then went to work for the telephone company in Grimsby.  Who knew that almost 22 years later she would again work as a local and long distance operator for the telephone company (AT&T) in Charleston, SC.  One of her favorite stories of working at AT&T was when she tried to help someone with a call and the person asked to speak to a supervisor.  When Barbara asked her why, the person said she wanted to speak to someone she could understand, someone who spoke English.  Without hesitation Barbara said “I am speaking English, the King’s English.”    

Everyone who knew Barbara also knew she was a great cook, but she did not start out as one when she got married. Living in San Marcos, Texas, Al had saved up for a really good steak for them and he looked forward to grilling it. To Al’s astonishment, Barbara had already cooked the steak… she had baked it like an English roast which meant it was tougher than shoe leather. When the Air Force sent Al to Korea for a year, Barbara was pregnant with her second child and lived with his Italian parents in Paulsboro, NJ.  It was there that Barbara learned everything about farm to table cooking.  Her love of cooking grew as the Air Force stationed the family from Washington DC to England to Texas to Germany and finally Charleston. She could cook anything from an elaborate Italian meal to a simple Shepherd’s pie and her homemade desserts were the best, whether it was a lemon meringue pie to German chocolate cake to her individual mincemeat pies. 

Retirement from AT&T did not slow Barbara down one bit.  She was an active member and volunteer with the Telephone Pioneers of America and the Charleston Area British Club.  For several years she cooked meals at least once a month for the residents of the local Ronald McDonald house.  Barbara loved puzzles, Sudoko, board games (Scrabble was her favorite), Bunko and any card game but especially playing Zeinchek with her children and grandchildren. Barbara was also an avid sports fan. She loved to watch and cheer for the Washington Redskins and USC Gamecocks.  For many years, she and Al were season ticket holders and attendees at the Charleston Battery soccer games.

In addition to her husband, Barbara is survived by her seven children - Helen Pasquino Smith, Col. (Ret’d) James Pasquino (Gwen), Denise Pasquino Sahlmann, David Pasquino (Angela), Joy Pasquino Hancock, Teresa Pasquino Sinteff (Mike) and Albert Pasquino Jr. (Robyn); 18 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, and her sister, Denise (Jack) Catley of Grimsby, England along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins from Australia to England.  Barbara was pre-deceased by her parents and grandson Bryan Sahlmann.

A memorial service will be held at Simplicity Low Country Cremation and Burial, 281 Treeland Drive, Larson, SC, on Sunday, September 2, 2018 at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (SC Chapter) or the Ronald McDonald House. The family is especially thankful for the care provided to Barbara over the past several months by the dedicated doctors, nurses and staff at Summerville Medical Hospital, Pinewood Place of Goose Creek and Crescent Hospice. We would also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the friendship and time that Marge Irizarry devoted to Barbara. 

“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’” Proverbs 31:28-29

Arrangements are being handled by Simplicity Lowcountry Cremation and Burial Services Summerville.