FARMINGTON – Barbara Niles Yeaton, 92, of Farmington, died Friday night, Aug. 24, at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

She was born on the family farm in East Wilton, on Oct. 18, 1914, the daughter of H. Earlon and Effie (Russell) Niles. She attended the East Wilton School until grade 8, and earned her GED in the ’60s.

On June 12, 1938, she married Stanton Yeaton at her parents’ home in West Farmington. He died on Jan. 18, 1992.

Early on, she earned the reputation of being a hard worker. As a young woman, she established a home delivery route for her parents farm produce and made the first deliveries in the Farmington area on her bicycle.

In the early ’30s, Barbara was employed as a telephone switchboard operator, and in the ’40s she worked at the Farmers Telephone Co. in Farmington.

She was also employed by the Chester Greenwood Factory, making the original earmuffs, and worked at the corn and bean canning factory that was located on the Intervale across from Hippach Field.

She was a freelance writer and photographer for approximately 55 years, writing for the Lewiston Daily Sun and Journal, the Franklin Journal and also wrote feature columns for the Lewiston Sunday edition.

Due to declining health, she retired from writing in 2004. It has been said that “she worked to live, and she lived to work!”

She wrote and published two books, the first, in 1977, “Temple Stream Reflections,” to raise money for philanthropic projects while she was grand royal matron of the Grand Court, Order of the Amaranth, state of Maine, and in May of 1988, “Reflections of Rural Maine.”

These two paper-bound books were similar with photographs, stories and recipes from the Temple Stream area of West Farmington.

She organized the Lakettes 4-H Club and was a leader for 24 years. She was a member of Wilson Grange 321 since 1928, and received the Golden Sheaf certificate.

She served as master of the Grange for many years and was master of the first and second degree teams. She also served on the Excelsior Pomona Degree Team, and as lecturer and was a member of the Maine State Grange and the National Grange.

She was a member and former deaconess of the Henderson Memorial Baptist Church, Farmington, and was past president of the Irene R. Luce Philathea Class.

She was a member of Merrill Rebekah Lodge, (officer for one year); past matron and worthy matron of Farmington chapter, OES; past supreme officer of the Supreme Council, Order of Amaranth; past deputy supreme royal matron; past grand royal matron of Maine; past charity of the Grand Court; past royal matron and past secretary of Purity Court, Farmington; past regent and past secretary of Colonial Daughters Chapter, DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) (50 plus years as member) and for three years served as public relations chairman for the state society.

She was also a charter member and trustee of the Farmington Historical Society and was a member of the Temple Historical Society, past president of the West Farmington Literary Society, former member of the Farmington Emblem Club, and was a former volunteer at Franklin Memorial Hospital.

She was honored by the Roderick Crosby Post American Legion of Farmington as Outstanding Citizen of the Year, the first woman to be so honored.

She was the campaign press agent for Franklin County for former Gov. John Reed and was appointed to the Franklin County Board of Commissioners by Gov. John McKernan in 1992, to finish the term left vacant by Barbara’s deceased husband, Stanton Franklin Yeaton.

In 2001, she was inducted to the Maine Press Association Hall of Fame, and in 2007 received a Life Achievement Award.

She was artistically and musically gifted. She enjoyed painting, knitting, tatting, crocheting, and playing the banjo and piano. She also enjoyed gardening.

Barbara is survived by her daughter, Marolyn Y. Reed and her husband, Charles, of Carmel; one son, Stanton Niles Yeaton and his wife, Sandra, of Strong; a son-in-law, David Abell of W. Kingston, R.I.; seven grandchildren, Shelley Burbank, Rebecca Mills, Russell Abell, Stephanie Feegel, Stanton Michael Yeaton, Jonathan Abell and Christopher Abell; eight great-grandchildren, Taylor Elyse Mills, Ellery Grace Mills, Carl Damion Chadbourne, Danielle Marie Burbank, Marcos Raul Abell, Katalina Virginia Abell, Stanton Philip Yeaton and Tyler David Abell.

In addition to her husband; she was predeceased by two daughters, infant Loretta Mae Yeaton and Virginia “Ginny” Yeaton Abell.