The following obituary appeared this morning in the Hartford (CT) Courant.
Many of you knew her as Barbara Turman when she was at UT-Austin and at
Brown. She was a brave woman and had me and the rest of her family with her
when she died. --ECW
++++++++++++++++++++
Barbara Lande Wilkie, 56, of Simsbury died Sunday (July 18, 2004) at home
after a gritty, twelve-year battle with breast cancer. Born in New York
City, she was the elder daughter of Lily Patick and Robert Lande, both of
whom predeceased her. She is survived by a daughter, Lauren Llewellyn
Wilkie, of Simsbury; a sister, Shellie Simons, of Sharon, MA, and Shellie's
husband, Gordon; nephews Craig and Robbie Simons; her former husband,
Everett C. Wilkie, Jr., of Kinston, NC; her long-time friend, Lance Ernest,
of Simsbury; and her former sisters-in-law and the rest of Everett's
extended family.
Barbara graduated from Oceanside High School in Oceanside, NY, and
matriculated the State University of New York at Albany, where she received
a B.A. in History (1969) and a Master of Library Science (1970). She began
her career as a librarian in 1970 with the U.S. Army in the Special Services
Division at Fuerth, West Germany, where she supervised five libraries.
Returning to the U.S. in 1974, she became a reference librarian and
subsequently the Head Librarian of the Documents Collection in the Perry
Casteñada Library at the University of Texas, Austin. Because of her mother
's declining health, she felt the need to move back east and in 1983 became
the Head of Reference and Information Services in the Rockefeller Library at
Brown University, Providence, RI, a position she held until late 1985, when
she moved to Connecticut, where she became the Investment Librarian of CIGNA
Corporation in Bloomfield. During her time in those positions she was
involved in professional associations and a recognized authority on
reference and government documents services in an academic setting. She
maintained an active schedule of conference participation and professional
publication.
In 1990, Barbara was hired as the Children's Librarian in the East Hartford
Public Library. Thus began an association that would last the rest of her
life and become a source of enrichment not only to her but also to her
colleagues and the children whom she served. Building on the foundation
already in place and with the continuous support of both the library
administration and her co-workers, she expanded the library's services to
children and their parents in both traditional and innovative ways. During
her tenure computers were introduced into the children's room, the
collection was weeded and updated, and the children's room was renovated.
She was also active in causes that promoted literacy and reading in
children, being especially devoted to the Nutmeg Book program. Barbara's
devotion to the library, her job, her co-workers, and the children brought
to her a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment, and that enthusiasm and
love were returned in equal measure by those with whom she came into
contact.
Gregarious, friendly, and intelligent, Barbara had a wide range of
interests, including renovating her home in Simsbury and improving the
landscape there. Until her health became too uncertain, she took great
satisfaction in her vegetable garden. A macrobiotic, she developed a wide
range of like-minded acquaintances both in Connecticut and elsewhere with
whom she shared physical, emotional, and spiritual sustenance. Barbara also
had many friends at Simsbury United Methodist Church, of which she was a
member. No relationship, however, was more important to her than the one
with her daughter, who was there in her final moments, and Barbara was a
devoted mother to her child until her last breath.
A memorial service, open to anyone who wishes to attend, will be held
Saturday, July 31, 2004, at 11:00 a.m. in the Simsbury United Methodist
Church on Hopmeadow Street. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to
the East Hartford Public Library. Interment will be private. Vincent
Funeral Home in Simsbury is in charge of arrangements.