Barbara Ann Waligora-Serafin

Barbara Ann Waligora-Serafin passed peacefully 29 June 2025 at Rockwood Retirement Community, Spokane Washington. She is survived by former husband Jim Serafin and their children Mara Sonya Serafin and Adam “AJ” (Keri) Serafin; loving Grandmother of Brynn, Camden, and Grayson; also late sister Patricia Wojcik; Aunt to Joseph (Tracy) Wojcik, Barbara (James) Maryniak and the late Kenneth (Beverly) Wojcik; and Great Aunt to Lauren, Patricia and Aubrey.

She began life in 1941, born in Buffalo New York, graduated Villa Maria Academy of Cheektowaga New York, served in Villa Maria Convent for over six years until she began her nursing journey. Barbara graduated from D’Youville College Nursing Program, Buffalo New York in 1967, and earned Masters of Nursing at Case Western Reserve’s School of Nursing, Cleveland Ohio in 1969. She began her nursing career at Roswell Park Memorial Institute as a Pulmonary Nurse Specialist in the early 1970s. Followed by various nursing research positions at Buffalo New York Veterans Administration Medical Center where she published and peer reviewed critical works on the relationship between clinical nursing and nursing research priorities. Barbara professionally flourished at the Don and Sybil Cancer Center, Amarillo Texas for over a decade in 1980s-1990s as Director of Supportive Care, Director of Nursing, and Vice President of Operations. She returned to Western New York in the mid-1990s as Director of Nursing at F.F. Thompson Hospital-Skilled Nursing, Canandaigua New York. Additionally, she worked at New York State Department of Health as State Inspector before retiring to Carolina Shores, North Carolina in 2008. Barbara filled her retirement with teaching part-time at Brunswick Community College Nursing Program, North Carolina. She was an active member of St. Brendan Catholic Church and a board member of the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition from 2009-2018. Our Mom moved to Spokane Washington in early 2019 to be closer to us (AJ and Mara) and her grandchildren as she began her journey with dementia. We are deeply thankful to the Rockwood South Hill Skilled Nursing and Memory Care staff who always supported Barbara, showed constant compassion and the highest level of care. Barbara would approve!

We celebrate Barbara on 23 August with burial at St Stanislaus Cemetery, Buffalo New York. Reception at 33 SpeakEasy Grill, 3455 Genesee St, Buffalo New York 12-3pm for family and friends. Contact call/text AJ (son) at 585-455-6126 or Mara (daughter) at 312-804-6533 for attending burial via virtual Zoom link.

In lieu of flowers/gifts consider a donation on Barbara’s behalf to Brunswick County Homeless Coalition at http://brunswickhomeless.com