Today Black Westchester celebrates Barbara Perry, the first African American and first female Commissioner in the Town of Greenburgh. She was a lifelong Greenburgh resident and a fourth-generation resident of the town. Barbara Perry was the 2nd executive director of the Theodore D. Young Community Center and the first Commissioner of the Department of Community Resources. She was the 2nd Executive Director of the Theodore Young Community Center (TDYCC) and the first female Commissioner of the Department of Community Resources.
The Town of Greenburgh will honor the life of the late Barbara Perry on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at 6 PM at the TDYCC located at 32 Manhattan Ave by dedicating the 2nd-floor extension of the Center in her memory. Barbara was born on June 19th, 1938, and passed away on Saturday, July 15th, 2023 at the age of 85. On Wednesday evening July 26, 2023, the Greenburgh Town Board started their meeting with a tribute to Barbara Perry.
“Barbara led the department when construction of a 2nd floor at the TDYCC was built. She lobbied NYS to appropriate funds for this important addition -enabling the Theodore Young Community Center to provide patrons and children with additional programming a dance studio, classrooms, and social programs. Barbara also was responsible for enriching cultural activities, starting a jazz concert series that continues today. Before her being appointed Commissioner Barbara served as Assistant to the Commissioner of the Greenburgh Parks Department. She was a longtime advocate for providing quality social and recreational programs in Greenburgh. It is fitting that Barbara’s contributions to the center and her tireless efforts that resulted in a second floor being built be remembered by future generations,” Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner shared.
Barbara was a staunch advocate for education and was a founding member of the Thomas A. Higgs Memorial Scholarship comprised of ten of her high school schoolmates. Through that effort, dozens of students from African-American communities received financial assistance for college. Also a published author, Barbara contributed to the book Our Roots Run Deep: A Pictorial Study of African-American Life in the Town of Greenburgh, New York from the 1800s Into the 21st Century. She was also featured in the docuseries, The African Diaspora Experience.
Barbara’s love of reading facilitated her work as a storyteller and griot. She was a Greenburgh Housing Authority Board member, a member of the Group of Black Women (GBW), and an avid member of her beloved Uno Group! Other passions and hobbies include traveling with her family to South Africa, Hawaii, Mexico, and The Bahamas, the arts, theatre, jazz, teaching and playing golf, bowling, tennis, dancing, sewing, reading, memorable time with family and friends, and attending many of the programs offered at the Center.
With everything in her life, Barbara put God first and was a faithful servant. She grew up in Union Baptist Church and later became an active member of Ridgeview Congregational Church serving as a Deacon, Trustee, scholarship committee member, and choir member. Barbara will always be remembered as a philanthropist, mentor, invaluable resource, “The Commish,” Shero, Herstory maker, and the unofficial “Mayor of Greenburgh,” but most of all she was our family matriarch–a beautiful, brilliant, and phenomenal mother and grandmother who blessed us daily.
She planted powerful seeds and proclaimed, “We bring our young children along on action trips. We feel they are becoming special children because of it.” Barbara’s motherly spirit was shared abundantly throughout her family and community. She adored being a mother to Jason and Jennifer, considered his wife Kyra a daughter, and was a doting grandmother to Sydni, Sloane, Saige, and Logan; she cherished quality time with all of them. Her infectious laugh and wonderful sense of humor are what we will hold onto. The force of an exceedingly generous, passionate, woman of conviction with an indomitable Spirit, enormous andgiving heart.
On July 15, 2023, she was called Home. Barbara was predeceased by her husband James; parents Harold and Pauline; sisters Katherine Kirton, Carol Watson, Sharon Watson; brother Ronny Watson; sister-in-law Lucy Evans; brothers-in-law Grady Stewart, Walter Kirton, and Carlton Evans. Left to cherish her precious memory are her children, Jason Christopher and Jennifer Ann Safara, daughter-in-law Kyra; brothers: James Watson (Jean), Rick Watson (Vielka) sisters: Evelyn Stewart, Janet Washington (Melvin), Linda Watson-Brown (Aaron); brother-in-lawHenry; sister-in-law Inez; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, very dear friends, and her caregiver Stacey Hubbard who became a special part of our family.
She will be missed immensely, the community loved her forever, treasured her memory, and honored her lasting legacy. Barbara was a true Black Westchester Legend!
