Barbara Marie Gosson Holt, the daughter of Robert Clinton Gosson and Mary Agnes (Rosa) Prescott, died unexpectedly on Oct. 16 at Beth Israel-Deaconess Hospital in Boston. She was 71, and lived at Hillside Village in Vineyard Haven.

Barbara was born Sept. 26, 1938 and raised in Fall River. She attended Sacred Heart parochial schools, and then graduated from BMC Durfee High School, in 1957.

She worked in the textile industry in Fall River, and later in Tennessee in various capacities in the manufacturing industry. On the Island she obtained her CNA certificate.

She loved horses, and while in Tennessee she very much enjoyed the county lifestyle. She had a farm with a horse and various livestock, including a favorite bull named Tiny. Barbara was a highly proficient ten-pin bowler in the Southeastern Massachusetts and surrounding area bowling leagues. She won many individual and team bowling championships, and obtained numerous awards and trophies.

She eventually moved to the Vineyard in 1993 to be with family. She was very close to her nieces and nephew, Jenna Constance Gosson, Erin Marie Gosson and Ryan Warren Gosson. Most people, including friends of the children and even many adults, referred to Barbara as Auntie Barbara.

Barbara loved watching horse racing, especially the Triple Crown, and was thrilled when her favorite football team, the New York Giants, recently won the Super Bowl.

She is survived by one son, Ronald King, of Bellbuckle, Tenn..

She was very close with the Ben David side of the family, including Michelle BenDavid Gosson, Donald, Jodi and Florence BenDavid, along with Janine Goode, some of whom referred to her as The Bear.

She is also survived by brothers and sisters Betty (Gosson) and Ernest Bartleson of East Strousberg, Pa.; Richard Gosson of Fall River; Robert Gosson of Whitehouse, Ohio; Judith (Gosson) and Arthur Cabral of Swanton, Ohio; Warren Gosson of Oak Bluffs; stepfather Donald Ray Prescott and Sharon Carter; and brothers Donald Ray Prescott Jr. of Ohio, and Tracy Prescott of Michigan. Other loved and cherished nephew and nieces are Cindy Cabral Engel, Cheryl Engel Brown, Christine Cabral Rieger and Renee Gosson.

She was predeceased by sisters and brother Claire (Gosson) Prado of Rumford, R.I.; and Marge, Kathleen and Robert Gosson, all of Fall River. Husbands Jesse Denton King from Tennessee and Amos Holt from Fall River also predeceased her.

Donations for unexpected financial obligations would be greatly appreciated, and may be sent to Barbara Holt, c/o Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank, P.O. Box 1069, Edgartown, MA 02539.