Barbara Ann Agresti of Evanston, Illinois and Warren (Touisset) RI passed away, surrounded by her loving family, on December 6, 2019 in Providence, after a struggle with cancer. She was born January 22, 1967, in Providence RI, to her affectionate parents Florence Rose Agresti and Ernest Nicholas Agresti. She is pre-deceased by her father, who she missed dearly and has now joined.

Barbara leaves behind her husband Henry (Hank) Adams and three adoring sons, Nicholas, Peter and Luca. She is survived by three siblings, of which she is the youngest: Lisa Cummings of Narragansett, RI; Mary-Ann Agresti of Yarmouth Port, MA; and Ernest Agresti Jr. of Swampscott, MA.

Barbara attended St Mary’s Academy Bay View, in East Providence. She was a proud member of the class of 1985, where she was elected president of the student body her senior year.

After graduating from Brown University in 1990 with a BA in English, she worked at the Public Interest Office at Harvard Law School. This was followed by a position in Washington, DC where Barbara served as one of the founding program officers at the then newly formed Corporation for National Service, the federal agency that helped launch the AmeriCorps national service program. Her passion to help others brought her next to New York City, where she worked as the Vice President of Grant Coordination for the Echoing Green Foundation.

In 1998, after a festive wedding in Rhode Island, Barbara made her home in Evanston, Illinois with Hank, beginning a life together and adding three sons to their family. She became very involved in her sons’ schools and was devoted to raising them as compassionate, respectful young men.  
Even with the distance, she was forever drawn back to Rhode Island. She grew up spending summers along the Kickemuit River in Touisett (Warren) Rhode Island and still returned there every summer with her family to share the joy that the river and ocean gave her.

She is predeceased by her grand parents: Henry and Mary Rose; and Severino and Natalie Agresti, all of East Providence, RI.  Her family extends to many loving aunts, uncles and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at Manning Chapel, Brown University, Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 12 noon. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Barbara’s name can be made to HopeHealth Giving@HopeHealthCo.org.