SOUTH PORTLAND – Barbara Jean Vassallo of South Portland passed away peacefully Monday, August 3, 2020 surrounded by family after a prolonged battle with cancer.

“Babs” as she was called by friends and family alike, as well as Nana by her grandchildren, was born on October 11, 1949 in Portland. She graduated from Portland High School in 1967 before pursing employment with Blue Cross and Blue Shield and then Bath Iron Works. After retiring from Bath Iron Works, she matriculated to Andover College and graduated in 1995 with an Associate Degree in Business Administration. Along the way, she earned the President Cup as Andover Colleges Top Student.

After graduating from Andover College, she joined the staff as the Bookstore Manager for the renamed Kaplan University until her retirement. During her retirement, she enjoyed spending time with her family and watching her grandsons play football, baseball, hockey and soccer at the youth, high school and collegiate level.

Barbara married the love of her life Richard “Dicky” Vassallo on October 7, 1977. They were married for 43 + years until her passing. They raised Barbara’s two children from her previous marriage for over 18 years on Pitt Street in Portland before moving into their dream home at 74 Chase Street in South Portland where they lived blissfully for the past 24 + years.

Barbara was blessed with extremely good luck! She amazed people in the amount of 50/50 drawings she won and lottery scratch ticket winnings that she compiled. She loved playing cards with family and visiting casinos from Oxford, Maine to Oranjestad, Aruba.

Barbara and Richard loved to travel which started with their honeymoon to Vegas and continued with trips to Paris, France, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas as well as their favorite Aruba where they have vacationed for over 33 years. She also enjoyed spending time with her friends at annual weekend getaways to Sebasco Harbor, Maine, having fun as a member of the Elks Lodge #188, the Moose Lodge and the Italian Heritage Center.

She was predeceased by her parents Robert and Georgianna Stebbins as well as her brother David Stebbins and brother in-law Norman LeClerc.

She is survived by her husband, Richard Vassallo of 43 +, her son, Scott Hemingway, her daughters, Tammy Hemingway and Jennifer Logan, her sisters Kathleen LeClerc, Joanne Higgins and husband Cooper Higgins and Patricia Woodhouse and husband David Woodhouse. As well as grandchildren, D’Andre Morgan, Noah Logan, Ethan Logan and Justin Logan.

A remembrance visitation will be held from 4 to 7 pm on Friday, August 7, 2020 at A.T. Hutchins Funeral Home, 660 Brighton Avenue, Portland, Maine. A funeral service for family members will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 8, 2020. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery in South Portland, Maine. Per state mandate masks will be required and CDC guidelines will be followed.

Please visit ww.athutchins.com to sign Barbara’s online guest book.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that any donations of remembrance in Barbara’s name be sent to

Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 US Route One, Scarborough, Maine 04074