Barbara Joan Washburn

Barbara Joan Washburn, age 84, died peacefully at home in her favorite chair on a sunny Tuesday afternoon.

Born in Westerly, Rhode Island, Barbara, or Bobbi to her friends, lived in a way and in a time that so challenged her gentle parents - a time when girls, especially ministers daughters, shouldn’t want to demand to be admitted into boys only shop class.    

As a young girl, her passion for horses and all things equestrian led her to ride in many shows in the suburbs of Philadelphia.  Later in life she moved frequently, with kids in tow, taking in the cultural and visual bounty that each new country offered.   

Artist, Musician, Writer, Designer.    

In the mid 1970’s she and her children moved from Concord to Harvard, Massachusetts where she owned her own small business-  Woodside Designs.  She was a Design Associate of the National Trust, Professional Member of ASID, and on the board of directors for the New England Chapter. She was NCIDQ Certified, and was a juror for the NCIDQ exam and coordinated the NCIDQ Exam preparatory program for all of New England. As a Licensed Construction Supervisor in Massachusetts, was qualified to design and build any residential structure and up to medium sized commercial structure without an architect. She could look at your house, apartment or room and in an instant tell you exactly what she liked or what was wrong with it and how to improve the function of a critical space.   

After retirement, she left Harvard and spent time traveling alone in her 33 foot motorhome across the country writing and also researching genealogical history of her father’s Washburn line (now admitted member of the Mayflower Society) and mother’s Dudley heritage.  With chalks and pastels in hand, she would capture a friends favorite dog, horse or cat with remarkable likeness.  After several years on the road she finally settled in Florida to escape the cold that made her skin suffer so. There she spent time with friends and occasionally singing classics and opera with her favorite Tenor at a local restaurant.  

Barbara was brilliant, perceptive, and ferocious with a quick retort and an incisive pen.   Her many superlative talents made social life difficult at times. Barbara was not perfect. She was a tormented genius fighting windmills all the way.  True to form, she chose to live her life to the end on her terms.    

Barbara is survived by a Daughter, Debra Lortie and her husband Brian of Paoli, Pennsylvania,  a Son, Thomas Lienhard of North Oxford, Massachusetts, four grandchildren and a great grandson. 

A private memorial will be held graveside at the River Bend Cemetery, Westerly Rhode Island where she will be laid to rest next to her father and mother.