1917 – 2014

CONCORD, N.H. — Barbara A. Douglass, 97, a resident of Bethel for more than 58 years, died Wednesday, Dec. 10, at Pleasant View Center, Concord, N.H.

She was born in Newton, Mass., on April 27, 1917, the daughter of William Case and Edna Louise (Harte) Anderson. She graduated from Newton High School, Newton, Mass., in 1934 and attended Marlborough Secretarial School, Boston, prior to graduating from Westbrook Junior College in Portland in 1941. She received her degree in social work from Bates College in 1957 and was employed by the Maine Department of Human Services for 25 years as a social worker.

Barbara was married in Newton Center, Mass., on May 20, 1939, to the late Dana C. Douglass. They were married for 60 years before his passing on July 30, 1999. After a brief stay in Forest Hills, N.Y., they moved to Portland where she was active in the American Red Cross and Ambulance Service during World War II, was the past president of the Portland Junior League, past president of the Catherine Morrill Day Nursery, on the board of the Pine Tree Society for Crippled Children, and a member of the Child Welfare Board serving on many committees. She served many years on the Women’s Board of the Maine General Hospital, now the Maine Medical Center.

In 1950, the family moved to Bethel, where they raised four daughters. She was an active community member, a Sunday School teacher and past Deaconess of the Bethel West Parish Congregational Church, member of the Bethel P.T.A., participated in many of the area drives for health organizations, was a Girl Scout Leader, a member of the Bethel Historical Society, past president of the Bethel Health Area Center, director of the Stephens Memorial Hospital Auxiliary in Norway, an active volunteer for the Androscoggin Home Health Services and on the Chamber of Commerce Board. In 2009, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce. She enjoyed being involved with National Training Laboratories that came to Bethel since 1957.

In 1982, Barbara and Dana opened their home as The Douglass Place Bed & Breakfast on Mayville Road, Bethel. This had been her dream for some time, and she enjoyed meeting people from around the world and having people come back for repeat stays.

Barbara’s greatest love and enjoyment was people, sharing time with others, giving of herself joyfully to support others in their lives, entertaining, participating in community causes and getting the very most out of life. She will be remembered for that twinkle of love and of gratitude in her eyes and her smile!

Survivors include daughters, Barbara Weeks and husband, Peter, of Dunbarton, N.H., and Cheryl Douglass of Woburn, Mass.; six grandchildren, Todd Kellogg of Orlando, Fla., Bryan Kellogg and wife, Heather, of Bryant Pond, Brooke Rapp and husband, Timmothy, of Concord, N.H., Porter Weeks and wife, Brittany, of Dunbarton, N.H., Andrea Sickinger and husband, Jonathan, of South Hadley, Mass., and Karen Bieluch and husband, Jesse, of Milford; great-grandchildren, Ella, Grady, Lauren, Olivia, Dylan, Taylor, and Colin; son-in-laws, Mark Hutchins of Salisbury, N.H., and Benjamin Kellogg of Bethel.

She was predeceased by her parents; husband; and two daughters, Diana Kellogg and Pamela Hutchins.

Friends are invited to sign the family guestbook and share their thoughts, condolences and memories online at www.meaderandson.com.

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