FEEDING HILLS – Barbara Frances (Smith) Racicot, 92, died Sunday, August 22, 2021 at home.  A native of Springfield, she grew up in the Hungry Hill section and was educated in Springfield Schools.  She graduated from Technical High School in 1946 and was a longtime member of her class reunion committee.  She also graduated from Mt. Auburn Hospital School of Nursing in 1950.  As a registered nurse, she worked almost thirty years at Springfield Hospital, now Baystate Medical Center.  She also worked for a short time at Heritage Hall Nursing Home and finished her nursing career working at Chestnut Knoll Retirement Home, now part of Glenmeadow.  She met her husband, Al, ice skating at Porter Lake and they were married in 1950.  They built their home in Feeding Hills where they lovingly and noisily raised their six children.  Barbara was a Eucharistic minister, lector and a communicant of the former St. Theresa's Church until its closing and is currently a communicant of Sacred Heart Church.  She was predeceased by her parents, Lena (Ottani) Smith Busansky and Humphrey Smith and her step-father, Max Busansky. Sadly, she was predeceased by her sister, Elaine Smith in 1940, her "boyfriend" Alfred J. Racicot in 2013 and her son, Danny in 2015.  She is survived by her son, Michael Racicot of Hot Springs, AK, her daughters, Linda and her husband Bob Buder of Aztec, NM, Diane M. Boss of East Longmeadow, Carol and her husband Jean Raymond of Florida, and Elaine Martel of Mt. Holly, VT, her best friend and little brother, Phil Smith of Florida and his daughter, Valerie and her husband John Martin and their daughter, Aliya Smith. She also leaves twelve grandchildren, Amy (Matt), Annie (Kyle), April, Bethany (Nate), Christopher, Emily (Luke), Holly, Jennifer (Andy), Jeanette, Jillian (Chuck), Jody, Jon (Alyssa), twenty-two great-grandchildren, Alice, Atticus, Charlie, Christopher, Cianna, Desiré, Emma, Erik, Forrest, George, Harley, Kaeden, Kara, Lillian, Malcolm, Minah, Niles, Riley, Sidney, Talon, Valerie and Veda.  She leaves cousins and their families, and many friends, including her "adopted son" Matt and his wife Marie who were so helpful with caring for her husband, Al, while he suffered with Alzheimer's and then continued to help Barbara.  Thanks Matt! She also leaves her former daughter-in-law, Penny Racicot.  Relatives and friends are invited to a Funeral Mass on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021 at 10am at Sacred Heart Church, 1103 Springfield Street, Feeding Hills. The burial will follow in St. Thomas Cemetery in West Springfield. Calling hours will be Friday from 5-7pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer's Foundation at www.alzfdn.org