Dorothy Barna

Dorothy "Dot" Barna, 97, passed away on Monday, Oct. 23, 2017, at the Maplewood Nursing Home in Westmoreland, surrounded by her family and caring staff.
Born in Chocorua, on Sept. 24, 1920, she was the daughter of Richard and Eva (Shedd) Moore. She attended grades one through eight in a one-room schoolhouse which was located at the foot of her driveway. The next four years she walked 3.2 miles, each way, to Tamworth High School where she graduated without recognition that she was never late nor missed a day of school.
Dot married C. Star Barna on May 5, 1951, and they resided in the Franklin/Tilton area until moving to Swanzey in 2008. They spent 59 years together before his passing in 2010.
She had been employed by, and retired from, Tilton Dress where she enjoyed working as a payroll clerk and made lifelong friends. After retirement she and her husband spent seventeen winters in Panama City Beach, Fla., where
she loved to watch the sunsets on the Gulf Coast and walk the beaches of brilliant white sand. Dot loved to relive
two birthdays that were especially memorable. As an avid NASCAR racing fan, she cherished her surprise 80th
birthday party at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon where she rode shot gun for 3 laps at top speed in a real NASCAR racecar. Five years later she traveled to Ecuador and celebrated her 85th birthday, which coincided with her great-grandson's fist birthday; it was a special, cultural experience like nothing she had experienced before in her life.
For years, she started each day reading the newspaper and cutting out The Family Circus cartoon; she saved and treasured these sentimental moments showing the wonder of everyday life as seen through the eyes of young children. Dot also enjoyed reading novels, playing spider solitaire and making her famous pumpkin bread. However, her favorite pastime was sitting and sharing, with anyone who would listen, the memories created with her family.
She will be greatly missed by many, especially her daughter, Norma Elliott, and her husband, Bob, of Keene; her four grandchildren, Tanis Elliott and her husband, Santiago, of Tumbaco, Ecuador; Courtney Elliott of Keene; Susan Cheever of Milford, Mass; Michael Mather and wife, Cynthia, of Epsom; six great-grandchildren, Ariel and Tobias Jacome of Ecuador; Melissa Vaillancourt and husband Adam of Milford; Jessica Creighton and husband Julien of Wilton; Jacob and Joshua Mather of Epsom; and three great-great- grandchildren; her brother, Robert Moore of North Conway; and nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband, C. Star Barna; her daughter Beverly (Trask) Mather in 1975; and her brother, Albert Moore.
In keeping with Dot's wishes there are no calling hours. A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, at 10 a.m. at the Thibault-Neun Funeral Home, 143 Franklin St., Franklin, NH (neunfuneralhomes.com).
The family would like to thank Maplewood's second floor staff for their kind and loving care and Hospice at HCS for their kindness during the last weeks. For those who wish, you can honor Dot's memory by making a donation to: Maplewood Nursing Home Activities Department, 201 River Rd, Westmoreland, NH, 03467.