Barbara Ruth Silander

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Barbara Ruth Silander, 84, of Greencastle died on Tuesday, April 21, 2009.

She was born on April 16, 1925 in Guild, N.H. to Ralph and Ruth Rickard Chapman.

Mrs. Silander was a graduate of Newport High School in Newport, N.H., received her bachelor of education degree from Keene State College and her masters in education degree from Indiana State University.

She was very involved in her community. She helped found the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry and was active in the Democratic Party. She was a long-time member of the Greencastle Presbyterian Church, serving in various capacities as an elder and deacon. She was active in the Greencastle Women's Club, Progress History Club, and served on the Putnam County Comprehensive services board.

Teaching was a passion beginning with her first teaching job in New Hampshire and continuing through her work tutoring homebound and Reading Center students in the Greencastle area.

She was instrumental in the establishment of the Round Barn Day Care and was a member of the Reading Improvement Center Board and Kappa Delta Gamma. In recent years, she turned to writing poetry as a means of expression, sharing these with family and friends, publishing a volume of her own and contributing to several periodicals.

She had a passion for the outdoors and enjoyed hiking with her husband and friends. She was an avid bird watcher and gardener and member of the Greencastle Garden Club.

She was a loving wife and mother.

Her parents and husband, Fred Silander preceded her in death.

Surviving are her children, Anne Silander of Iowa City, Iowa, Susan Silander and husband Miguel Canals of Lajas, Puerto Rico and David Silander and wife Julie of Charlotte, N.C.; a brother Bob Chapman; eight grandchildren, Miguel Canals, Gabriel Canals, Cristina Canals, Ashley Silander, Chapman Silander, Will Silander, Sam Silander and Caroline Silander; one great-granddaughter, Emilia Huminski; and good friend Barbara Vinograde.

Graveside services will be held on Friday at 10:30 a.m. at Forest Hill Cemetery.

A memorial service will celebrate Mrs. Silander's life on May 30 at 10:30 a.m. at Greencastle Presbyterian Church, 653 S. CR 100E. Condolences may be expressed to the family c/o www.bittlesandhurt.com.

Memorials may be made to the Putnam County Library or Asbury Towers.