Barbara Jeanne Wade

Barbara Jeanne Wade (Plotts), age 79 of Wilmington, Delaware died peacefully on August 30, 2026.

Barbara was born in Chattanooga, TN and raised in Newark, DE. She attended Newark High School and received her Associate’s Degree from University of Delaware.

Barbara was an accountant for various businesses and then moved into volunteer work. She was a Victims Advocate for the Family Court of Delaware for many years. She served on the Junior Board for the Medical Center of Delaware. She was a member of Concord Country Club and then Wilmington Country Club. She and her husband enjoyed their time down south and were also members of The Landings in Savannah, Georgia and then Berkeley Hall Club in Bluffton, South Carolina.

Barbara met her husband, William J. Wade, while in California visiting her brother who was serving in the Navy with Bill. Barbara and Bill married on March 23, 1968, in Point Magu, CA and began married life with assets totaling $7 and canned ham. In 1970 they moved to Riverdale, DE with their young son so that Bill could attend the University of Delaware. A couple years later they moved to the main campus in Newark, DE. Barbara continued to work as an accountant and take care of the family. She continued to support the family while her husband was in law school and once he graduated, they welcomed their daughter and he began his career.

Over the course of the next 50 years, she would do A LOT. She volunteered, entertained, travelled, played golf, cooked and read. They enjoyed golf trips to California, Florida, Mexico, Ireland, Scotland and South Africa. Pleasure trips to London and Glasgow. She loved her extended stays to their houses in the south with Berkeley Hall being her most loved. And she loved cooking most of all. She owned every cookbook ever written. She somehow had a perfect meal ready every night at exactly 6:30 pm. She loved hosting parties for friends and clients. And there wasn’t a book she hadn’t read.

We want to thank the AccentCare unit in CCHS Wilmington Campus for taking such great care of her in her last days.

Barbara is survived by her loving husband of over 58 years, William J. Wade; her son, Michael J. Wade (Christine) of Fairfax, VA; daughter, Erin K. Curry of Wilmington, DE; grandchildren, Wyatt Wade, Cole Wade, Kaity Wade, Fiona Curry, and Keira Curry; brothers, Joseph Plotts and Thomas Plotts (Carolyn); and many devoted relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by her sister Judith.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence (DCADV). 100 W. 10^th St, Ste 903, Wilmington, DE 19801 or online www.dcadv.org.