Barbara M. Kenniston
1918 – 2010

AUBURN — Barbara McDonough Kenniston, 91, died at Clover Health Care peacefully on Jan. 4, surrounded by and strengthened by the love of her family and friends. She was a resident of Schooner Estates Retirement Community prior to her illness.

She was born in Lewiston, May 23, 1918, the daughter of Michael Joseph McDonough and Madelyn York McDonough. She grew up in Lewiston surrounded by two loving brothers and devoted parents in a home enriched by positive role models and great cultural and educational experiences. She graduated from Lewiston High School and St. Mary’s School of Nursing and then became a private duty nurse. During this period, she met and married William T. Kenniston and shared 49 years together, until his death in 1991.

Together they owned and ran Kenniston’s Antiques for 45 years and alone she continued the business for several more years. She met and made many friends through her distinguished career. She was a charter member of the Maine Antiques Dealers Association. She contributed her expertise to help form the Maine Museum and Fort Western Museum in Augusta. She worked with curators at the Bath Museum, the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and Corning Glass Works in Ithaca, N.Y.

She was an active and long-time member of the Pittsfield Grange and Maine State Grange. During her years as a grange officer, she organized many community events, school literature programs and local fundraisers. She was a member of St. Agnes Church in Pittsfield and St. Agnes Guild, where she was a past president. She was a member of the Pittsfield Garden Club and the Pittsfield Tuesday Club. It gave her great pleasure to entertain such groups at her home at Christmas time.

Girl Scouts played a major role in her life. She was an active Girl Scout for 75 years. She began scouting at age 12, the entry age allowed at the time (1930). She was a member of Troop No. 1 of Lewiston and attributed lifelong leadership qualities learned from her GS leader. She corresponded with and remained friends with the girls from that troop for the rest of her life.

After she left Lewiston, she became actively involved in Girl Scouts of Abenaki Council. She was president of her area council and chairman of many events that were quite popular at the time, the Follies and the GS Winter Carnival. She was a nationally recognized leader and internationally honored at Our Cabana in Mexico by creating a poem used there in ceremonies. She became the first leader in the region to have a combined troop that included a Brownie Troop, a Junior Troop, a Cadet Troop and a Senior Troop that functioned as one unit. Under her leadership her GS troop took week-long trips to Washington, D.C., Quebec City and Boston. She was a member of the Catholic Committee of Scouting and for many years helped to organize and worked on many retreats for girls and boys.

Her zest for life and learning was reflected in her many interests which included reading and in summer her flower garden. After her husband died, she took many trips with her daughter to Ireland, Scotland, parts of Canada and throughout the United States. Being with her family was her greatest joy. She was a great homemaker, baking and cooking for family, friends and community functions. She was talented at knitting, creating beautiful sweaters, afghans, hats and mittens and was knitting blankets and hats for her little great-granddaughters most recently. She made every day a happy occasion. Holidays were special and she created forever memories for each occasion. She was a special person who never complained and will be remembered for her smile, her sense of humor and her Irish wink.

Her survivors include one daughter, Madelyn K. Given and her husband, Edward P., of Poland; one son, William T. Kenniston Jr. and his wife, Judy Minehan, of Detroit; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband, William T. Kenniston; and two brothers, Michael J. McDonough Jr. and James D. McDonough.

The family would like to thank all of her caregivers for the loving care they gave her during her illness.