Barbara Rowe Freese died peacefully surrounded by her family at Havenwood-Heritage Heights in Concord, NH, on May 25, 2013, after a brief illness. She was the daughter of Edwin and Inez (Horton) Rowe. Barbara attended public schools in Springfield, Vermont, Charlestown, New Hampshire, and Bradenton, Florida, graduating from Keene High School and then Keene State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1942. She taught in Hollis, New Hampshire schools where she established the school's first home economics and hot lunch programs, and later taught home economics in Charlestown, New Hampshire. Barbara also worked as a secretary at the Charlestown Woolen Mill, a teller at the Connecticut River National Bank, and was ‘Welcome Wagon’ hostess for 10 years in her area. She was a member of the Charlestown Congregational Church/UCC, and their ‘friendly circle,’ the ‘old mothers’ club, and the ‘women's club.’ She was a longtime trustee of the Fort at Number Four and their ladies group, the ‘barn browsers.’ She was a member of the town Financial Committee and was treasurer of the medical building committee at the time of its construction. She often judged 4-H projects. She enjoyed sewing, quilting, traveling, camping and painting.
Barbara was a published writer working for the Keene Sentinel as a correspondent and feature writer. She wrote a self-guided tour entitled “A Walkabout of Charlestown,” and co-authored “Garden Sass,” a cookbook of local recipes. She wrote an ongoing column in the local periodical “Our Town” focusing on ‘Personal Portraits’ of interesting local citizens. At age 88 she wrote a family cookbook entitled “Cookery.”
Barbara was married to John Freese for more than seventy years. Her husband John, son Lindsay Freese and wife Betsy Taylor, grandson Jesse Freese and wife Kelly Nykodym, two great-granddaughters, Colby and Zoe, and many nieces and nephews survive her. Her sister, Josephine Whitcomb, and her brother Howard Rowe, died earlier.
Services will be held at Havenwood-Heritage Heights in Concord, NH on Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 1pm.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Fort at Number Four P.O. Box 1336, Charlestown, NH 03603.
The Bennett Funeral Home of Concord is in charge of the arrangements.
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