Barbara T. Menna

Barbara T. Menna, 99, passed away peacefully on April 14, 2026, surrounded by her family. A devoted mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, Barbara lived a life defined by kindness, faithfulness, love and quiet strength. Born on March 9, 1927, in Providence Rhode Island, Barbara was the eldest of four children. Her faith and spirituality started at a young age. As a young girl, Barbara and her sister Dorothy walked to Mass daily. She developed a lifelong love of sewing also at an early age, which led her to pursue a degree from Rhode Island School of Design. At the age of 18, she was a young entrepreneur, opening up her own business, a tailoring shop, in Downtown Providence. In later years she sewed and sold at a local Santa Barbara store her own baby gowns under the label of BabyLove. A consummate seamstress, she never stopped sewing and altering clothes the entire course of her life. Barbara married her sweetheart, Torquato (Tom) Menna, in 1948, and together they built a warm and welcoming home filled with religion, dancing, music, and great Italian food. She was known for her great cooking and baking, her love of china painting, her love of gardening and the way she loved to serve others. Upon joining St. Raphael Church in 1967, she actively sewed altar cloths, made vestments for the priests, and cleaned the church. Bible Studies played an integral role in her religious life. She loved Mother Mary, was a rosary maker for Our Lady of Sorrow Ministry with her daughter, Debbie, and prayed the rosary for family and friends three times a day. She was her family’s mighty prayer warrior. Being a mother defined Barbara, as well. She was happiest when she was feeding and spending time with family and friends. As she became a grandmother and great-grandmother, she enjoyed working on projects with the young ones, and delighted in attending their sporting events and school activities. We called her our “Energizer Bunny!” Her famous quote was, “I just cannot sit still!” Barbara is survived by her three children: Thomas Menna (Linda), Louis Menna (Paula), and Debbie Bertran (Rick); her seven grandchildren: Jennifer Conlon (Michael), Rebecca Conrad (Ben), Daniel Menna, Matthew Menna (Jaime), Anthony Bertan (Chloe), John Bertran, and Elijah Bertran; and her great grandchildren: Brayden, Hailey, Justin, Landon, Jackson, Colton, Ryan, Liam, Gracelyn, and Ethan, all who will carry forward her legacy of compassion and love. She is also survived by her sister, Dorothy Nardollilo of Cranston, Rhode Island, her brother, Robert Ferranti of Las Vegas, Nevada, her brother-in-law, Louis Menna of Cranston, Rhode Island, and her sister-in-law Jeannie Menna of Johnston, Rhode Island. She was preceded in death by her parents, Nicholas and Theresa Ferranti, her husband, Torquato (Tom) Menna, and her brother Nicholas Ferranti Jr. of Cranston, Rhode Island. The Visitation/Viewing will be held at Welch-Ryce Haider Mortuary, 450 Ward Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93111, on May 2 from 5:00 pm-7:00pm, followed by the recitation of the Rosary at 7 pm. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on May 4,2026 at St. Raphael Catholic Church, 5444 Hollister Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93111 at 10 AM. Following the Mass the Internment will be held at Calvary Cemetery at 199 N Hope Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93110. A reception will follow immediately at the Rancho Embarcadero Community Center at 224 Vereda Leyenda, Goleta, CA 93117. The family asks that donations be made to Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, 4200 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93110 in Barbara’s honor. The family would like to thank the medical team at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for the care they gave to Barbara. They would also like to thank Emily, Gladys, Rachel, Sydney and Melody from Assisted Home Care were greatly helpful with Barbara’s home care. We appreciate their love and compassion. Barbara will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her, and her legacy of love will be forever in our hearts.

Barbara T. Menna

March 9, 1927 - April 14, 2026