After a long and wonderful life, Barbara Marie Stuart, loving wife, mother and grandma passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at age 91. Born August 20, 1927 to Anna and Wilfred Wich of Pittsfield, MA, Barbara was Valedictorian of her high school class and graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1945. After WWII she married Roger Henry Stuart and moved to Lansing, Michigan where she and her husband owned and operated The Music Center music store in East Lansing for several years. They raised three children, Deborah, Geoffrey and James, and continued to reside in East Lansing through her life.
Barbara was employed at Michigan State University as an Administrative Assistant in the Office of Institutional Research, the Office of the Provost, and the Director of Planning and Budget for MSU. After a 43 year career she retired to enjoy grand parenting and working on projects with her family. At 91, she proofread and edited a major therapeutic recreation textbook, Therapeutic Techniques Using The Creative Arts with her daughter which is now in publication.
Barbara was a passionate lover of arts and music, and served as a member of Plymouth Congregational Church choir for decades. She served on the Plymouth Board of Deacons, the Music and Nominations Committee and as Secretary to the Minister of Music, Dr. Richard Klausli. Barbara was a participating member of the Lansing Lyric Opera Company, and Test Chairman for the Lansing Figure Skating Club for many years. Barbara and her husband were sponsors of Summer Concerts in the Lansing area to raise funds for the Greater Lansing Food Bank, and other charitable causes. Barbara was a diehard MSU Spartan fan in football, basketball and hockey. She was a member of the East Lansing-Meridian Lions Club with her husband Roger for many years, being of service.
Barbara enjoyed many hobbies, reading, word finds, cooking, needlepoint, sewing, knitting, drawing, painting, movies, and playing Kings in the Corner card game tournaments, and winning them. She enjoyed hosting friends with tea and cookies in her home and loved listening to WKAR radio and watching programs on PBS especially Rick Steve’s Europe and Create. Barbara enjoyed travel of all kinds and loved visits home to the beautiful Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, touring the castles of England and Scotland, day trips with picnics to parks, and sunsets at the University Club of MSU. Most of all she was about love.
Barbara is preceded in death by her father, Wilfred; her mother, Anna; sister, Cynthia and her loving husband of 69 years, Roger. Barbara is survived by her three children; daughters-in-law, Shelley and Donna; sister, Betty; brother, Wilfred Jr.; grandchildren, Michael Dean Stuart and Amanda Kay Stuart; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial celebration of Barbara’s life will be held at Plymouth/Pilgrim Congregational Church on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at 11:00AM, 125 South Pennsylvania Avenue, Lansing, Michigan 48912. Visitations will be held at Plymouth/Pilgrim Congregational Church July 12 from 4:00-6:00PM, and July 13 at 10:00AM before the service. A luncheon will follow the service at the church.
Memorial gifts on behalf of Barbara can be sent to the following local charities in care of: Plymouth Congregational Church 125 S. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lansing, MI. 48912, Plymouth Congregational Church Music Fund or, East Lansing-Meridian Lions Club or, Greater Lansing Food Bank or, Michigan State University Commemorative Tree Program
