Mabelle Anna (Chisholm) Barnette, of Exeter, New Hampshire, passed peacefully on the 29th of August at Langdon Place of Exeter, New Hampshire. She was 96. Born in Boston on July 13th, 1929, to Ethel (Dugan) Chisholm and Theodore Chisholm, Mabelle grew up with a love of singing and horseback riding. She graduated from Medford High School in 1947 and spent her early adult years in West Medford, where she taught Sunday School at Shiloh Baptist Church and was active in the Plan E Civic Association, a neighborhood service and political action group.
Mabelle married her high school sweetheart, Stanley Barnette, in 1950, and together they raised two children, Celeste and Neal. Mabelle worked at Raytheon Systems on a project tied to the Apollo space program before returning to college to earn her bachelor’s degree from UMass Boston. She then went on to serve as a Child Abuse and Neglect Social Worker for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for over 30 years, retiring in 1999. Mabelle’s dedication to children and families in crisis was recognized with a presidential proclamation from Bill Clinton.
As an adult, Mabelle's talent at quilting led to her recognition in several books. She was also a world traveler. Her passion for - and expertise in - genealogy and Black History led her to become a popular speaker across the New England region for the Afro-American History and Genealogy Society (AAHGS) for over three decades. Mabelle was quite proud of her involvement in the Harriet Wilson Project, as well.
Mabelle was the last living sibling, as she was predeceased by Carl, Theodore, Portia, Neal and Rodney Chisholm. She is survived by her daughter Celeste; her son Neal and daughter-in-law Ina Buckner-Barnette; her grandson Kyle and his wife Khara; great grandchildren Trevor, Nya, and Sawyer; and a host of loving family and friends. Her grace, strength, and devotion will be remembered always.
Mabelle’s family wishes to offer a special thanks to the staff and residents of Langdon Place of Exeter for their care and compassion over the past three years.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday, September 12th, from 6 to 8 pm in the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main St., Medford. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. A funeral service will be conducted on Saturday, September 13th at 11 am. Services will conclude with burial at Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to honor Mabelle to the New England African-American History and Genealogy Society, online at: www.aahgs.org or to the New Hampshire Black Heritage Trail, online at: www.blackheritagetrailnh.org