Madelyn Barber
The Rev. Madelyn Catherine (Harnish) Barber, 93, widow of the Rev. Charles Otis Barber died Jan. 31, 2015.
Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, on May 13, 1921, she was the daughter of Robert and Leona (Croft) Harnish. She was reared in Boston and educated in the public schools there. She married Charles Barber in 1943. They reared a son and a daughter.
Sheearned her bachelor’s of science in education from the former State College of Boston and earned her master’s degree in educational administration from Syracuse University. While at Syracuse, she was eligible for honors and was elected to the Pi Lambda Theta honor society for her scholastic accomplishments.
She taught social sciences, mathematics, English and general science for more than 20 years. Madelyn was the first woman elected to the Dolgeville (NY) District Board of Education. She also served as the vice president of the Herkimer (NY) County School Board Association.
From 1962 to 1966, she was the executive director of the Doolittle Nursing Home in Foxboro. MA. Both she and her husband studied the needs of the aging by attending institutes and seminars. She earned her achievement certificate for management, advanced administration and medical economics from the American Medical Association and the American Nursing Home Association.
An active UU, she was a member of the Ballou Channing Religious Education Committee and the Ballou Channing Women’s Association. While in the St. Lawrence District, Madelyn served as the president of the District Women’s Federation.
She was involved in all phases of church life wherever her husband and she served. She was religious education director at the Salem (MA) UU church and at the UU Fellowship in Durham (NH). At the Salem church, Madelyn was a board member of the Woman’s Friend Society and chairperson of the Outreach Committee and president of the Salem Church Women United.
Her son, Jack, reports that in the 1980s she was ordained to the UU ministry by the South Parish Unitarian Church of Charlestown, NH. The congregation recognized her service providing her own ministry to several small churches. And they acknowledged her contributions to religious and civic organizations during her long and fruitful career.
She and her husband retired to Deland, FL. Then, after he died there in 2006 she returned to North Attleboro, MA and lived in long-term care from 2009 until her death.
In earlier years Madelyn enjoyed camping, then later she could be found gardening, reading, being outdoors and clipping articles from newspapers. She remained true to her longtime roots in farming and had a deep appreciation for that hard work and the role farmers play in society.
She leaves a daughter, Susan E. Murphy and son-in-law, Robert Murphy of Deland, FL.; a son, John R. Barber and daughter-in-law, Charlotte Barber of Plainville, MA; nine grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Larry Harnish.
A celebration of her life and faith was held Feb. 7 at the Chapel at Madonna Manor, MA, with the Rev. Kelly K. Thibeault, pastor of the First Congregational Church, North Attleboro, officiating. She says that a number of Madelyn’s writings were shared at her service.
Memorial donations in Madelyn’s name may be made to Lenore’s Pantry, 43 South Washington St., North Attleboro, MA 02760.
Notes of remembrance may be sent to: John Barber, 10 Cliff Dr., Plainville, MA, 02762.