Barbara A. Blake, 81, of Madison, died peacefully at the Connecticut Hospice on April 8.  She was the beloved wife of nearly 60 years to Alan L. Blake.  Barbara was born in the Silver Beach Community of the Bronx, New York City, on July 28, 1931.  She was a graduate of Christopher Columbus High School in the Bronx and Empire State College, and she enjoyed working for many years in the advertising department of The New Yorker Magazine.

In the early years of her marriage, Barbara and her husband lived on City Island in New York City, where they belonged to the City Island Yacht Club and enjoyed sailing throughout Long Island Sound and points east. 

Barbara was always active athletically. She was an accomplished bowler, averaging around 160 in sanctioned league and tournament play.  Later, she took up tennis and paddle tennis, winning numerous trophies and awards.

In later life, Barbara was an avid duplicate bridge player, achieving a Bronze Life Master ranking in the American Contract Bridge League and accumulating over 900 Master Points in Club, Sectional, Regional and National play.

Barbara will be remember by her family and friends as a kind, loving, and generous person who treated everyone with whom she came in contact in a gentle and respectful manner.

Besides her husband, she is survived by her sisters, Carol Ljostad and her husband Edwin of Madison and Linda Knopf and her husband Oliver Wilson of Mystic.  She is also survived by her nephews, Gary Ljostad of Hampton Bays, New York and Peter Knopf and his wife Mary of Belmont, California; her nieces, Laurie Ljostad and her husband Joe Sorba of New Haven and Jan Brulotte and her husband Paul Child of North Haven; her grandnephew Cory Brulotte of Middletown; her grandnieces, Winter Marshall of Woodbridge, Abby Brulotte of North Haven, and Kylie Jones and her husband Ryan of Naugatuck; and her great-grandniece Jocelyn Camacho of Woodbridge. 

A memorial service will be held at the Swan Funeral Home, 825 Boston Post Rd., Madison, on Saturday, April 13, at 1 p.m.   Family and friends may visit the funeral home from 11 a.m. until the time of service at 1 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Rd., Branford, CT 06405.  For online tributes and condolences, please visit www.swanfuneralhomemadison.com.