OWLS HEAD — Barbara Ann Nash Gushee, 92, died peacefully on Wednesday, June 4, 2026, at her home, surrounded by her loving family.

Born June 24, 1933, in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of Alfred and Jennie Pierpont Nash. As a young girl, Barbara was raised in Washington, Maine, where she attended Washington Grammar School and later Waldoboro High School. Following graduation, she moved to Augusta, where she lived with her two sisters, Marie and Marietta. While in Augusta, Barbara began her career working at the law firm of Locke, Campbell, Reid and Hebert, and later transferred to the office of the Hazzard Shoe Factory.

On June 20, 1953, she married Robert Gushee of Appleton. Together they lived in Thomaston before moving to Rockland, where they rented several apartments before owning two separate homes there. Later in life, she and Bob settled in Owls Head, owning their North Shore Drive home for several years before downsizing and building a new home just down the road.

Always a hard worker, Barbara spent many years in the Crie Hardware office, the Sylvania Plant in Waldoboro, and as a teller at Depositors Trust Company.

In addition to her full-time work, she and her husband started a rental business in 1959, eventually owned over 100 apartments. Together they devoted most evenings to maintaining and improving those properties.

Their hard work afforded them the opportunity to take many wonderful trips. Together they traveled by motorhome across the country in 1989, after building the Breakwater Apartments on Glen Street, and to Alaska in 1993 to celebrate their 40th anniversary. They spent many winters in Florida and enjoyed trips to Las Vegas with family and friends, cruises to the Panama Canal and the Southern Caribbean with friends, and a family cruise to the Western Caribbean.

Barbara will be sadly missed by all who loved her.

Predeceased by her parents; her brothers, Marshall and Richard; as well as her sisters, Lucille, Marietta and Marie; Barbara is survived by her two daughters, Roberta Gushee of St. George and her partner Mike Tripp of South Thomaston, Kimbelry Simmons and her husband Todd of South Thomaston; five grandchildren, Eli Carleton and his wife Katie of Lee, New Hampshire, Leah Dzintars and her husband Ivan of Jamacia Plains, Massachusetts, Cortney Simmons and her husband Andrew of Brooklyn, New York, Dean Hale and his companion Kasey Blood of Bremen, Ashlee Turgeon and her husband Matthew of Rockport; five great-grandchildren, Lucien and Adeline Turgeon, Raymond and Leo Carleton, Arik Hale; several nieces and nephews; a special friend, Walter; and not to be forgotten, a cherished cat named Jack who she rescued from Florida.

A celebration of her life will be held Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 10 a.m., at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchinson Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland. She will be laid to rest privately at Pine Grove Cemetery, Appleton.

To share a memory or condolence with the Gushee family, please visit their Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.