Barbara (McHardie) de Gersdorff

NORTH CANAAN — Barbara (McHardie) de Gersdorff died quietly in her sleep, March 30, 2010, just nine days before her 94th birthday.

She was born April 8, 1916, in Seattle to Stella J. and Walter D. McHardie.  Although she moved to the East Coast with her own young family in the 1950s, her eyes would sparkle and her smile would widen when asked about growing up in Washington.  

Her favorite pastime was skiing, and she blamed all the time spent on the slopes for a bothersome arthritic knee.  She attended the University of Washington in Seattle and was an active member of the Iota Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity.  

After settling in Massachusetts, Barbara became a member of the First Church of Christ in Longmeadow; Longmeadow Women’s Club; Longmeadow Maternal Association; Massachusetts Audubon Society at Laughing Brook, in Hampden; and The Field Club of Longmeadow.   

Barbara was a quintessential grandmother. Pictures of her children and their families covered her walls and refrigerator, she kept an impressive dress-up box in her basement, brought her grandchildren to craft fairs at her local church and always had candy in the bowl on her coffee table.  

As is true for many of us, Barbara had her fair share of loss and sadness in life; she was predeceased by her parents and sister, Marie; two husbands, Donald P. Meiklejohn and Robert L. de Gersdorff; two stepchildren, Louisa and Robert; and her  daughter, Barbie.  

Throughout it all, however, Barbara remained an optimist.  She loved to visit with her neighbors at Geer Village, chat with the aides who chuckled at her jokes, make phone calls to loved ones near and far and satisfy her sweet tooth with boxes of Russell Stover chocolates.     

Barbara is survived by her daughter, Jean (Meiklejohn) Maggioncalda of Grand Blanc, Mich.; her stepson, Stephen W. de Gersdorff of Springfield, Mass.; her sister, Betty McHardie of Seattle; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

 A memorial service will be held April 30,  at 2:30 p.m. at Geer Village in North Canaan, with a private burial at a later date.

 Memorial donations may be made in lieu of flowers to First Church of Christ, Longmeadow, Mass.; Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Hampden, Mass., or Geer Village.

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