ESSEX: Henrietta “Rita” Nichols Meyer, died peacefully at home with family by her side on Wednesday, December 17, 2014.
Rita was born on March 6, 1927 in New York City grew up there and in Cold Spring Harbor, New York. She graduated from Chapin School in 1944 and continued her studies at Smith and Radcliffe Colleges. Rita was an experienced sailor, birder, and loved the outdoors. She was married to Benjamin A. Barnes in 1945; divorced in 1962. In 1963 she married August R. Meyer, with whom she had many sailing and boating adventures including circumnavigating the eastern United States; he predeceased her in 2000.
Rita was an ardent supporter of classical music and a generous philanthropist. She volunteered for over 60 years at the Boston Symphony Orchestra; was elected to the Board of Overseers in 1980, served as a trustee from 1985 to 2000, and became a Life Trustee in 2000. She sponsored a fellowship at the Tanglewood Music Center; was a strong supporter of ProjectSTEP, a comprehensive, longterm music education program for musically gifted Black and Latino youth, and was a board member of ProjectSTEP from 1992 to 2002. In 2010, she was recognized as a BSO Great Benefactor. She became involved with Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences in 1981, joined the board from 1987 to 2005, and named a Trustee Emeritus in 2005. Rita was actively involved in a number of other organizations, including Massachusetts Audubon Society, Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Museum of Fine Arts, The Pierce-Nichols House at Peabody Essex Museum, and The Trustees of Reservations.
Rita was predeceased in 1991 by her youngest daughter, Hope Barnes. She is survived by her children Benjamin A. Barnes, Northampton, MA; Henrietta N. “Robin” Barnes, Jamaica Plain, MA; Phoebe Barnes, Southwest Harbor, ME; Mary B. Barnes, Sedgwick, ME; and Faith Barnes, Brunswick, ME; her step-children August R. Meyer, Jr., Beverly, MA; Natalie M. Bent; Nina M. Fletcher; and Peter B. Meyer, all of Essex MA; seventeen grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
A Memorial Service will be held at First Parish in Cambridge (1446 Massachusetts Ave. @ Church St.) on Friday, February 6, 2015 at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to ProjectSTEP, Inc., Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 or online at www.projectstep.org.