Barbara L. Gould

BARRE - Barbara Louise Gould, 80, longtime resident, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 25, 2019.

Born and raised in the small town of Landaff, New Hampshire, Barbara was deeply proud of her New Hampshire roots. Daughter of George and Ethel (Bronson) Clement, Barbara grew up on a large working dairy farm consisting of nearly 900 acres, Jockey Hill, where her parents instilled a strong work ethic as they tended to their many Ayrshire cattle and sheep, vegetable gardens, auctioneering business, maple sugaring production, and state grange affiliations.

Barbara attended the local one-room schoolhouse, Blue School, through the 8 ^th grade and then completed high school at Lisbon High. She was an active member of 4–H, the Rose Croix Assembly of Littleton where she served as Worthy Advisor, the McClure Student Band, and the Mount Hope Grange.

Following high school, she studied nursing at the Thompson School for Practical Nurses in Brattleboro, Vermont where she received her LPN degree. She began her nursing career at the former Barre City Hospital. It was here that she met her husband, George Gould, on a blind date set up by a mutual friend. Barbara and George wed on October 8, 1960 and had two children, Elizabeth and Jeffrey, who they raised on 15 Division Street in Barre. Barbara was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, George Gould, in May of 2011.

She worked as a nurse for many years at the Barre City Hospital, as well as what is now the Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin. She treasured her role as a nurse, and she honored her many patients by tending to their needs with kindness and warmth. She made many life-long nursing friends along the way whom she cherished. Barbara was also proud to work for Dr. Ernest Reynolds for many years at his practice next to Currier Park. She then worked for Keene Medical, the Medical Store, and eventually found her way to her final nursing job at Heaton Woods in Montpelier, where she worked for over fifteen years until her retirement at the age of 75.

Barbara was a self-described people person. She adored spending time with her children, grandchildren, siblings, friends, and extended family members and she remembered the name of every person she ever met in life. She and her husband enjoyed throwing large New Year’s Day open houses and Easter dinners at the Sugar Place or at a local hotel. All gatherings were centered around incredible menus and would usually include several of Barbara’s delicious pies and baked goods. One of her favorite places to visit was Harvey’s Lake in West Barnet, Vermont, where many treasured memories were created over the years.

Health issues in her last five years made it necessary for Barbara to move out of her home in Barre. She spent one year in North Haverhill, NH living with and being cared for by her beloved sister, Ann. She cherished crossing the state lines to live back in New Hampshire one final time.

Eventually it was necessary for Barbara to become a resident at Heaton Woods where she had been a nurse for so many years. Her family will forever be grateful for the extraordinary care and love she received while living there. She happily spent her days involved in the many activities available thanks to Susie, and every staff member treated her with kindness and respect. She made many wonderful friends there who brought joy to her life in her last few years. She was also blessed to have the love and care of a close family friend, Franny McAvoy, who frequently visited her and brought her to countless movies at the Capital Theater and drove her over the hills and back roads of Vermont for hours at time. Her family is filled with gratitude for the happiness these visits brought.

Barbara will be deeply missed by those she leaves behind. Her son Jeffrey Gould and his wife, Beth Soucy Gould of Barre, and Jeff’s son Devin Gould; her daughter, Elizabeth Morris and her husband, Norman Morris of Amesbury, MA and their four children; Kate Bernardoni and her husband, Jeff; Alexander Morris and his husband, Jeremy, John Morris, and Wesley Morris, along with her sister Ann Clement and close friend, Joyce Read; her brother, David Clement and his wife, Gayle; and David’s sons Kevin and Tom Clement; her husband’s sister Joan and her husband, Paul Bagalio and several nieces and nephews.

Barbara was predeceased by her husband George Gould and sister-in-law, Marion Gould Vasseur.

A service to honor and celebrate her life will be held on Friday, February 1, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. in the East Barre Congregational Church. Family and friends may call from noon to 2:00 p.m. in the Hooker and Whitcomb Funeral Home, 7 Academy Street, Barre.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Activities Fund at Heaton Woods, 10 Heaton Street, Montpelier, VT 05602.