Barbara J. (Allen) Stickney

Barbara Jane (Allen) Stickney, 91, died Wednesday, December, 12, 2018 at North Adams Commons where she had resided since November 12, 2015.

She was born at North Adams Hospital in North Adams, MA on January 11, 1927, daughter of Claude B. and Olive Reid (Lester) Allen, of Brooklyn Street and later 47 Beacon Street.  Barbara attended North Adams Schools and after graduating from Drury High School in 1944, she attended the North Adams Normal School.  She later graduated from The Springfield, (MA) Hospital School of Nursing in September 22, 1948.  She was a regular rider on the passenger trains through the Hoosac Tunnel in the 1940’s for her training and liked to tell stories of those days.  On October 21, 1950 she married Richard Parkhurst Stickney, of Albany, NY in the North Adams Baptist Church.

They moved to Connecticut, where her sons Richard and Wayne were born, and then to Pittsfield in 1954, where her daughter Thelma was born.  Barbara worked at the Pittsfield General Hospital until, having always been drawn to the family camp on Pond Road, she moved to Rowe, MA, on Middletown Hill Road in November 1963, where she lived until 2015.  After raising her children, she went back to nursing with jobs in Greenfield, North Adams (at Hunter Machine), the Bear Swamp Hydroelectric project in Rowe, and finally at the North Adams Commons where she retired in 1985.

In her spare time, Barbara became highly skilled at knitting.  Her talent and expertise were widely known and respected in the area.  Barbara has also been involved with the Rowe Historical Society from its earliest years.  After decades of support for the Rowe Historical Society and being a dedicated Trustee for many years, her enthusiasm, knowledge, wisdom, hard work and dedication are still noted.

Barbara leaves behind her brother, Lester of Westwood, MA, and her children, Richard of North Adams, MA, Wayne of Dunnellon, Florida, and Thelma of Keene, NH, plus numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Norman of North Adams, and Richard of Kansas City, Kansas.

Barbara’s children would like to thank the staff at the North Adams Commons for their caring and dedication.

Per Barbara’s wishes, there will be no calling hours.  There will be a small memorial service at the Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home in Shelburne Falls, MA for the family at a later date. Any memorial donations may be made in her name to the Rowe Historical Society, 282 Zoar Road, in Rowe, MA 01367.

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