Franklin----------Barbara W. Stoddard, 92, died on June 15, 2011 at Mountain Ridge Genesis Health Care Center, Franklin, where she had lived for the past three years.
She lived most of her life in the Laconia area. She and her husband moved their two sons to Northfield for several years.
Barbara was born in Laconia on July 16, 1919. She was the youngest of Nellie (Page) and Robert A. Whitehouse's five children. All her siblings, aunts and uncles, parents and grandparents died earlier. So did her grandson, James.
When she was still a child, both her parents died, so for years Barbara lived with different relatives in or near Laconia. When living with one of them in Northfield, she met Sidney Stoddard. They were married by a Baptist Pastor in Fitchburg, Mass., on June 8, 1944.
A picture she chose for a public hallway at Mountain Ridge shows Barbara in her white cap and gown, marking her graduation from high school.
For most of her adult life, Barbara worked on payroll – first for Scott and Williams, then for Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and finally for Pike Industries.
Barbara is survived by her two sons and daughters-in-law, Ronald and Carolyn and Douglas and Sue, all of Franklin. She also is survived by four grandchildren: Chris and Frank Acevedo of Lakeland, Fla., Jason Stoddard of Derry; Michelle, Nate and Trinity Taylor of Hill and Michael Stoddard of Milwaukee, Wisc.
Besides loving these relatives and many other people, she also gravitated to animals. She often had pet dogs and/or birds. Even when Alzheimer's robbed her of most conversational skills, she regularly asked visitors about their own pets. She enjoyed seeing animals at places such as Friendly Farm in Dublin.
A Calling Hour will be held on Saturday, June 18, 2011 from 10:00-11:00AM in the Carriage House of the Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H followed by a Funeral Service at 11:00AM also at the Funeral Home. Rev. Andrew J. Matthews, Pastor of Evangelical Baptist Church, Laconia, will officiate.
Burial will follow in the family lot in Bayside Cemetery, Laconia, N.H.
Thank you to the care-givers, relatives, friends, co-workers and others who were supportive of Barbara Stoddard.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH is assisting the family. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.