Marjorie Lancaster Barnhart

Marjorie Lancaster Barnhart, died February 2, 2009 in Bradenton, FL. She was born to Williamson and Edna (Grafton) Barnhart January 31, 1914 in New York City. She came to Bradenton in 1981 from Ft. Wayne, IN, where she served for thirty years on the News Sentinel. For 23 years she was a Drama Critic, and headed the newspaper's Art Department beat, which included editing the Rotogravure and the Book Page. During seven years prior she was the State Editor covering the famous Churubusco turtle story. Graduating from Huntington High School and in 1933 from Manchester College, she was named Distinguished Alumnus of Manchester College in 1978. She worked on the News-Journal of North Manchester, IN and the Huntington (IN) Herald Press before going to Fort Wayne. More recently she wrote a monthly column for the Bradenton Trailer Estates newsletter, called "Birds on Our Beach". She later edited the monthly news magazine of the Westminster Towers in Bradenton for seven years. In 1981 the Presbyterian Historical Society of Philadelphia published her book Prisoners of Hope, written about her ancestor the Rev. Elisha Swift who founded the Board of Foreign Missions in 1831. Miss Barnhart was an accomplished visual artist, as well, and her watercolor painting of the Marie Selby Gardens in Sarasota placed third place in the statewide competition sponsored by Presbyterian Retirement Communities and was published in their calendar. She is survived by a sister, Barbara, and a niece and nephew-in-law in Minneapolis. She also is survived by two great nephews and four great-great nephews, also in Minneapolis. Services will be at the Westminster Towers Chapel on Saturday, February 7, 2009 at 1:00 P.M. Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel 604 43rd Street West Bradenton , FL 34209 in charge. Online condolences made to www.brownandsonsfuneral.com.