KAY BARBOUR SCHMOKEL

KAY BARBOUR SCHMOKEL - SHELBURNE - Kay Barbour Schmokel, age 76, died on April 24, 2015, in the Residence at Shelburne Bay, Shelburne. Kay was born on Feb. 23, 1939, and grew up in Lafayette, LA. Kay was the daughter of musicians who were also teachers of music. Her father was a music professor at the University of Louisiana, and her mother taught music in public schools. Kay played the cello and was an accomplished pianist. Kay's main interest was in helping others, so she majored in sociology and piano, and sang in a trio, at the University of Southwestern Louisiana in order to become a social worker. She met her first husband, James R. Barbour, of Chatham, N.J., at Fort Polk in Louisiana where she was employed by the American Red Cross as a social worker, and also served at several other military installations in the South. Kay and Jim moved to Lambertville, N.J., where Kay became a teacher in the town's elementary school. She began graduate work in order to gain teacher certification, and earned a Master's degree from the College of New Jersey. Kay's life goal, in her words, was reached when Keith and Shelley were born 14 months apart, and the new family greatly enjoyed living in a lovely house in a rural setting. Her children were the loves of Kay's life. She was always busy, studious, and loving. Intense at home mothering, creating a wonderful and adoring home life, cooking delicious meals, cleaning, working, studying for graduate school, nurturing and teaching her children about the world and unconditional love, all with music playing in the background. In 1974, the Barbour family moved to Vermont, where Jim became a professor at the University of Vermont. Working together, Kay and Jim restored a Victorian home, then built a house, both in Jericho, and subsequently became deeply involved with the community. During their early years in Vermont, Kay began graduate work in the area of special education, gaining a Master's degree in Psychology from St. Michael's College, while teaching in local schools. Kay ultimately became the Director of Special Education at Burlington High School. Kay's last job before retirement was as a Special Education Administrator in Hardwick, and she was quite involved in the regional VCSEA group. As a teacher and administrator, Kay also enjoyed mentoring young colleagues. In 1984, Kay married Wolfe Schmokel, a Professor of History at the University of Vermont. Kay and Wolfe retired to Wolfeboro, N.H., where they immersed themselves in the community, playing bridge, and making wonderful friends. They then made their way back to Vermont, living out their remaining years. Kay grew up playing bridge, cards, and games, with her mother, and subsequently became an exceptional bridge player. She enjoyed playing cribbage, backgammon, and Scrabble, and did not lose often (but might, if it made them feel better). Every community Kay has ever lived in; she volunteered at the local library, frequently joining their boards, and did volunteer gardening projects around town. Kay loved the library and would often spend hours looking through the shelves, and filling her back seat with all the books she would read and look through every week. She was a vociferous reader, who loved mysteries. Kay pored over Booklist and reviews to find new reads, and gifts for others to nourish their interests. Every home Kay has ever made included creating and cultivating beautiful gardens. She was constantly amazed by plant life, filling them with color, scents, bird feeders, and as many daylily cultivars she could find. Kay was a gifted photographer, always capturing the life around her. She created a loving pictorial history of her children and family by making several cherished photo albums. After her children left home, she continued to take pictures of her gardens, pets, animals, birds, and beautiful scenery that left her in awe, whether at home, or traveling. Kay's love of music was a gift she passed on to all around her. Throughout her life, she collected hundreds of albums, tapes, and CD's, ranging from Carreras to Grieg to Nina Simone to Neil Diamond to Pink Floyd. Kay loved crossword puzzles, British murder mysteries, movies, The New York Times (Tuesday's Science section was her favorite), reading about the latest technologies, making gorgeous Crewel pictures of flowers and bucolic scenes, maps, lots of ice cubes, Hellman's Mayonnaise, the mystery of the ocean, seashells, birds, animals, yard sales, antiques, listening to loud music in her car, and complimenting people. Adorable, beautiful, wonderful, cute, and I love you, were the words we heard most from Kay. Her favorite food was ice cream. Kay's dry wit, ability to get to the pith, appreciation of life's absurdities, silliness, outrageous sense of humor even in the darkest times, infectious laugh, and the twinkle she always had in her eyes, have made our hearts a little less broken. And, as Kay always said, "Everything will be okay." Kay was predeceased by her parents, Priscilla and Keith Hester; sister, Judy Jones; and husband, Wolfe Schmokel. She is survived by her daughter, Shelley Barbour; son, Keith Babour and wife, Suzanne, and their daughter, Lena; sister, Hope Brayden; and former husband, James R. Barbour. A celebration of Kay's life will be held at a later date, and will be announced in the Burlington Free Press. Kay's family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at the Residence at Shelburne Bay for the kind and loving care they provided to Kay in her final months. Thanks to the medical staff of the Hospice Program of the Visiting Nurse Association. Thanks to our family and lifelong friends who have gotten us through. We ask that you think of Kay when you're working in your gardens this spring. As Emerson once said, "The earth laughs in flowers." And that laughter is probably coming from Kay.