Obituaries

RITA MERLET BARROWS

Rita Merlet Barrows died on Jan. 23, 2010, at Long Hill in Edgartown, Mass. She was 92.

The daughter of Ernest Henri Merlet and Philomene Chevalier Merlet, she grew up in Hartford and graduated from St. Joseph College in Hartford, class of 1939. In 1942 she was married to Richard Edward Barrows and they were lovingly together until his death in 1974. They raised one daughter, Philisse Marie.

When Barrows was 17, her sister, Therese, was born to their 41-year-old mother. In 1934, medical knowledge was such that their father had been sent home without the baby and told it would be better to let the baby go, as she was weak and his wife would not be strong enough to care for her. Barrows, outraged, sent him right back to get the baby and, for the next year, she was really the mom for Therese. Eventually both Therese and their mother recovered, but that year made a very strong life-long loving bond between her and her sister.

At St. Joseph College, Barrows was named "most individual in a class of individuals." Money was tight so she lived at home and learned how to sew all her clothes. She developed a particular dress style, which became known as the "Rita dirndl," and was much admired by the other girls. Barrows honed her sewing abilities over the years and later made many mother-daughter look-a-like outfits for herself and her daughter.

She was a teacher for 20 years, of French and Latin, at Long Lots Junior High School in Westport. While at Long Lots, Barrows was one of the first teachers to work with the Dictaphone Company in exploring the feasibility of establishing an electronic classroom. The Dictaphone executives and engineers created a language lab classroom to the specifications set out by Barrows. She wrote the technical booklet to go along with the lab and was featured on a morning television show introducing this new educational method.

After retiring from teaching, she pursued a variety of employment opportunities. Among them: working in advertising for the Westport Country Playhouse, the Greenwich Dinner theatre, and a local radio station in Westport; she was also a newspaper correspondent in Somers, a medical librarian for the Stafford Memorial Hospital in Connecticut and a sales representative for a housing development in Ocala, Fla. Barrows was also a docent for the Appleton Museum in Ocala.

After leaving Westport, she lived in northern Connecticut, Oakland and Pittsburg, Calif., Ocala, Fla., Vineyard Haven with her daughter and, for the last couple of years, at Long Hill in Edgartown, Mass. One of Barrows' favorite memories was of her move from California to Florida. She was in her 70s, and drove a huge rental truck while wearing a large brimmed sun hat and accompanied by a large teddy bear in the passenger seat. She recalled receiving many friendly waves from passing truckers.

While living in California, a man named Tom Angel became her companion and they spent a few years enjoying extensive traveling until Tom's death in 1987. In Ocala, her life was enriched by a new companion, Sydney Holtzman. They enjoyed dancing, cooking and a great deal of laughter.

After a heart attack in 2006, Barrows moved to Martha's Vineyard, but remained closely connected to Sydney until his death in 2008.

Barrows was always quick to embrace new ideas and ways of living. At age 88, still in recovery from a heart attack, she was ready to make the trip from Florida to Martha's Vineyard into a grand adventure. She and Philisse rented a large RV and with the help of a friend, Connie Lewis, the three women took a meandering week-long road trip -- sometimes staying in the RV at night, sometimes in a hotel or cabin.

Barrows' daily motto was carpe diem and she truly lived it -- welcoming each new morning with joy. At age 90, at Long Hill, she found a way to still feel useful in the world by tutoring a young Brazilian woman who was learning English.

Her smile lit up a room and made people wish to be with her. She never had a harsh word for anyone and never complained even after she no longer had any physical strength and was totally dependent on others. She touched many lives and will be greatly missed.

Barrows is survived by her daughter, Philisse Barrows of Vineyard Haven; her granddaughter, Agatha Kerr and Agatha's husband, Chuck, and great-granddaughter, Anastasia Kerr, all of Schertz, Texas; her sister, Therese McMahon and her husband, William of Falls Church, Va.; her nieces and nephews, Diane, also her god-child, Keith, Denise, Mary and Maureen; her step-grandchildren, David, Kevin and Amy McKenzie; her step great-grandchildren, Valia and Gwen; and many great nieces and nephews.

Rita's passing was in peace. Her daughter and their good friend, Elizabeth Sandland, were by her side and the Long Hill house cat, Kit, was snuggled up with her.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, April 24, at Long Hill at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in her memory to Long Hill (box 1183 Edgartown 02539), where Barrows was treated with great love and full dignity throughout her last years; or to Hospice of MV (box 2549 Oak Bluffs 02557), whose volunteers and staff were always supportive; or to the Unitarian Universalist Society of MV (box 1236 Vineyard Haven 02568), which gave continued support to both Barrows and her daughter.

Arrangements under the care of the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, Oak Bluffs, Mass. To sign an online guest book, visit www.ccgfuneralhome.com

CONSTANCE B. BOYLAN

Constance B. Boylan, 92, of Westport, wife of the late Frank Boylan, died Jan. 13, 2010, at Norwalk Hospital.

Born Dec. 23, 1917, in Dallas, Texas, daughter of the late Leon and Elisa (Schneider) Blum, she was a resident of Westport for the past 33 years. An artist by trade, Boylan focused primarily on portraits. She also loved gardening, Compo Beach and swimming there.

Survivors include two nephews, Robert M. Blum of Bethesda, Md., and Stephen L. Blum, MD, of Arlington, Texas.

She was predeceased by one sister, Elisa Haquebard, and one brother, Leon Blum.

Service and interment will be private. The Harding Funeral Home, 210 Post Road E., Westport, is in charge of arrangements.

JEAN R. PLANTHABER

Jean R. Planthaber of Weston died Jan. 27, 2010, in her home.

Born March 2, 1920, in Far Rockaway, N.Y., the first child of Florence and Walter Roche, she attended Our Lady Star of the Sea Elementary School and graduated Our Lady of Wisdom Academy in Ozone Park. Planthaber attended Hunter College, where she majored in French, followed by two years at Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School.

After graduation her first position was personal secretary to Mr. S.H. Kress, where she was able to use her French, translating for him as his art collection pieces arrived from France. After a year in Florida, the family moved to Houston, Texas, where they lived for 15 years. Planthaber worked for Maryknoll Fathers a Catholic Foreign mission society in Houston for four years. For several year, they lived in Germantown, Tenn., where she volunteered her time doing secretarial work for the Catholic parish.

She married William J. Planthaber on Oct. 29, 1942. Mr. Planthaber predeceased her in 1985.

She is survived by one daughter, Carol-Jean of Stillwater, Okla., as well as two sisters, Edythe Kieffer of Long Island and Carol Erickson of Florida, and many nieces, nephews and grandnieces.

Planthaber moved to Connecticut in 1968 and lived in Weston since 1971. She worked as a legal secretary at Lepofsky, Lepofsky and Lang of Norwalk, beginning in 1979. At that time, she asked to work for a newly hired lawyer named Simon Sumberg. She continued to work for Sumberg until her retirement in October 2002.

Planthaber was an accomplished pianist and loved music. She considered her most important job was that of a mother. There, she truly excelled. She was an animal lover who doted upon her two dachshunds, Bonnie and Bitsy.

The family will receive friends in the Harding Funeral Home, 210 Post Road E., Westport, today, Feb. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 4, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Weston, with Monsignor Nicholas Greico officiating. She was a longtime member of the church.

Burial will follow in St. Mary Star of the Sea Cemetery, Lawrence, N.Y.

In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 424 E. 92nd St. New York, N.Y. 10128-6804; or the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, P.O. Box 304, Maryknoll, N.Y. 10545-0304.