Obituary of Barbara Brookes

Barbara Brookes died Thursday, February 5, 2015 at the Siegenthaler Hospice and Palliative Care Center. Barbara was born on August 1, 1942 to Dorothy Bidwell Brookes and John R. Brookes. Barbara moved to Clinton, NY as a child, was a graduate of Clinton High School and enjoyed living in Clinton much of her adult life. Barbara received her BA from Wheaton College in 1964, majoring in English Literature and acquiring a lifelong love of poetry. She received a Masters Degree in Elementary Education from Goucher College in 1965 and a Masters Degree of Library Science from Syracuse University in 1979. For ten years Barbara taught at elementary schools in California, Rhode Island and Connecticut. She especially enjoyed developing curricula on the environment for her students. She earned a Sixth Year Professional Diploma in Elementary Education at the University of Bridgeport while teaching in Connecticut. From 1980-1984 she was a substitute teacher and librarian in the Utica and Whitesboro public schools. From 1984-2004 Barbara was a Reference Librarian at Utica Public Library, where she especially enjoyed her work with genealogy, book preservation and supervising volunteers. She was awarded a New York State discretionary grant for the preservation of local history research materials. Barbara was a devoted member of the League of Women Voters, most recently serving as Secretary of the Board and earlier as Public Relations Director, the editor of the monthly League of Women Voters Bulletin, and the compiler of a LWV bibliography and report on Hazardous Waste in New York State. Barbara also served as a Board Member of the United Nations Association, and she volunteered with the Clinton Historical Society. Barbara loved to travel. Soon after college, she participated in an American Friends Service Committee work project in a small village near Mexico City and also traveled around the world with a friend. Later trips included East Africa and Europe. Barbara enjoyed spending time in the natural world. She loved feeding and watching birds, nurturing her plants, hiking for years with the Utica Tramp and Trail Club and with her friends, and skiing with GE Ski Club. She loved the extraordinary luck of winning two years in a row the raffle of a Saunders tree peony at the annual Hamilton College Peony Fest. Barbara was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Utica, at which there will be a memorial service celebrating her life on Sunday, February 15 at 3:00 PM (10 Higby Road, Utica). Barb is survived by her brother John R. Brookes of Ann Arbor, Michigan; her sister Maud Pilkington Easter and her brother-in-law David Easter, both of Delmar, New York; and many wonderful friends. Barbara is predeceased by her mother, Dorothy Bidwell Pilkington and her step-father, Walter Pilkington, both of Clinton, and her father John R. Brookes. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the League of Women Voters Utica/Rome (PO Box 24, Washington Mills, NY 13479); the United Nations Association-USA of the Upper Mohawk Valley (c/oDavid White, 28 Mulberry St, Clinton, NY 13323); or the Unitarian Universalist Church of Utica (10 Higby Road, Utica, NY 13501).