Barbara Ann Johnson, 83, of Nobleboro, died on Oct. 13 at Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick.
She was born Barbara Ann Buermann on Sept. 23, 1931 in St. Louis, Mo., the daughter of Albert H. and Gladys (Shultz) Buermann.
The family moved to New York City during the depression and eventually settled in Tuckahoe, N.Y. where she attended Eastchester High School. She graduated from prep school at Blackstone College, Blackstone, Va., before completing her studies in Liberal Arts at Maryland College for Women in Lutherville, Md.
During those busy years she was deeply involved in the performing arts – theater, choir, and dance as a member of Delta Psi Omega, an affiliate of the national drama fraternity – Alpha Psi Omega. She was also named editor of the campus newspaper in her senior year.
Following school, she worked for American Airlines as a special ticket agent, in New York City and then with McGregor Travel in White Plains, N.Y. She married William R. Johnson, who was pursuing his Masters degree in Engineering at Columbia University. Upon completion of his studies, Bill began his career as a project engineer at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft and the couple moved to Ashford, Conn. where they raised their family until his untimely death at 42.
During her Connecticut years, Barbara became active in community affairs, first as editor, reporter, solicitor of ads and circulation of the small town paper, The Ashford Citizen. She then went on to write a daily news column for the Hartford Times, the Willimantic Chronicle and free-lanced with Hartford Woman, a professional publication.
In spite of those busy years raising her family, she was able to revisit earlier interests in theater and performed in plays and musicals with the Ashford Players.
She also became the Salvation Army Chapter chairperson, a den mother and member of the Boy Scout Council, Christian Education Director for the Chapel of the Holy Presence, Lutheran and Sunday school and Vacation Bible School teacher for the Warrenville Baptist Church.
When discovering that her second born child was profoundly deaf with mild cerebral palsy, she became very active in deaf affairs. Her political activities were reflected in her appointment to the commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired by Governor Meskill after having served on the committee that founded the commission. She then was appointed by Gov. Meskill to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees at Mystic Oral School, and was subsequently reappointed to both by Gov. Ella Grasso.
Her final service to her town was as secretary of the board that created senior housing and the senior center for Ashford.
With a continued interest in politics, she had an indefatigable energy campaigning door to door, and on the phone for those candidates she felt a passion to support. Committed to President Lincoln’s reminder that government is for the people only if it is of and by the people, she became involved with the Connecticut Citizens Action Groups – first founded by Ralph Nader as a consumer and environmental organization. AT CCAG she did what she did best: community organizing.
With her children grown and gone, she spent several years living and exploring various places to settle for her last years including Vermont, south Florida where she cared for her dad, and in England, also visiting Wales, France and Holland.
Finally she moved to midcoast Maine where her husband’s family was from. Settling in Nobleboro, she joined Nobleboro Grange #369 and became its chaplain, and educator in the deaf community. The Nobleboro Democratic Committee and Lincoln County Democratic Committee allowed her to continue her activism for good government. She also served on the Board of Directors for LCTV-7, the county’s public access television station. She expressed that “the people, the land, and the sense of community had brought her so much joy.”
Barbara was predeceased by her parents; husband; sister, Virginia; and beloved niece, Hilary.
She leaves her children, Hope S. and Greg Killingsworth of Georgia, Heather A. and David Moynahan, Hollis A. and Bradley Moller, and Heidi M. and Allen LePore, all of Florida, and William R. Johnson Jr. and Jennifer of Vermont; grandchildren, Amanda and Ethan Moller of Florida, and Nolan Johnson of Vermont; her husband’s nephew, Michael J. Johnson of Virginia, whom she raised as a son; step-grandchildren, Amber and Jason Killingsworth, and Glen LePore USAF; nieces and nephews scattered all over the United States; cousins in Virginia; and her husband’s family in the midcoast region.
A reunion of family, friends and neighbors in her memory will be held at 2 p.m., Sat., Nov. 1, downstairs in the community room at First Baptist Church, 8 Back Meadow Rd., Nobleboro.
Memorial contributions would please her greatly to Lincoln County Animal Shelter, PO Box 7, Edgecomb, ME 04556.
