A Memorial Service for Barbara Richardson Baxter age 102 ½, of Lisbon will be held at 11:00am on Monday (December 19, 2022) at the Lisbon Presbyterian Church with Rev. Walter Smith officiating. A calling hour will be held prior at the church from 10:00am until the time of the service. She was the last of her generation of the Richardson and Baxter families, and passed away on December 14, 2022 at Maplewood Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Canton NY. Burial will be in the spring at White Church Cemetery in Lisbon.
Surviving are daughters Sara (Bruce) Richardson of Lisbon, NY, Martha (Harry) Gardner of Constable, NY, Rebecca (Dane) Brenno of Lisbon, NY, Susan Bogart of Norwood NY, Jane Snell of Slidell, LA, all her grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents, Husband Anson in 1997, Daughter Deborah Meldrim, Sons-in-law Elwood Bogart and Dana Snell, Siblings David and John (Betty) Richardson, Helen (Everett) Lee, Alma (Jack) Weiser, Marian (Winston) Hanlon, Elizabeth (Hibbert) Miles. Brothers-in-law Leon (Amy), Lawrence (Keitha, Marie), Glenn (Phyllis) Baxter, Sisters-in-law Orma (John) Page, Olga (Arnold) Wise, Olive (Perry) Casavaw.
Barbara was born in Nashua, NH on June 5, 1920 the 6th of the 7 children of Arthur C. and Lizzie Boutelle MacKay Richardson. She grew up in Amherst, NH living with 3 generations of family in a house built by her ancestors in the 1790’s. She had many stories about picking strawberries, harvesting potatoes, riding the old work horse up and down farm rows, going next door with a nickel to buy an ice cream cone, skiing and ice fishing in winter, swimming in summer, making ice cream, and learning the Charleston from her four older sisters and their boyfriends.
She graduated from Amherst High School where she played basketball and Keene State Teachers College in 1941. Barb began her teaching career in a one room school in Westmoreland, NH.
On December 26, 1942 Barbara was married to Sgt, Anson Baxter, the handsome soldier from Potsdam, NY that she met at a dance at Lake Winnipesaukee. When WW II ended, they moved between Potsdam and Amherst until finally settling on a farm in Lisbon, NY in 1952 where they raised their 6 daughters. When their youngest girl began kindergarten, Barb went back to teaching in the primary grades at Lisbon Central School for the next 20 years.
She enjoyed being outdoors and tending her flower beds, large vegetable garden and lawn, annual family trips to New Hampshire, camping in the Adirondacks and Vermont and keeping track of her 6 daughters, 12 grandchildren, 21 great grands, and 1 great-great grandchild.
Reading was a lifelong love and that love was instilled in her children. Education was very important to Anson and Barbara, and they made many sacrifices to ensure all their girls had the opportunity and encouragement to pursue further education.
Barbara Richardson Baxter lived a long, full life filled with some ups and downs and lots of love.
You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be
I had a mother who read to me.
Strickland , Gilllilan
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