Barbara Cassat Keleher

Barbara

Cassat Keleher

Asheville - Barbara Cassat Keleher died Friday, January 13, 2012 after a short illness. She was born Barbara Nell Cassat in Tsinan, China, on August 12, 1918, to Presbyterian missionary parents, Paul Clifford and Rowena Wilson Cassat, and she spent the first five years of her life in China.

Barbara graduated from high school in Poughkeepsie, New York, where her father was the comptroller for Vassar College. She attended Agnes Scott College and transferred to the University of Iowa where she was the first female cheerleader for the Hawkeyes and a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. After earning her B.S. Degree in Nursing in 1940, she continued to work at the University of Iowa Hospitals as an obstetrical nurse, and there she met Michael Francis Keleher, M.D. They were married on May 17, 1941.

From 1942 to 1945, while her husband served as a Navy surgeon assigned to the 4th Marine Battalion in the Pacific Theater of WW II, Barbara lived in Springfield, Ohio, with their first daughter. She worked as a nurse and dietitian in daycare centers for the war effort factory workers. In 1945 the family returned to Iowa City where her husband resumed his surgical residency, and they welcomed three more daughters.

In the summer of 1949, the young family moved to Asheville, North Carolina, where Dr. Keleher set up his surgical practice, and by the midnineteen-fifties another daughter and son were born. They lived in the same north Asheville house for more than fifty years, although it was rebuilt in 1958 after a New Year's Day fire destroyed it. During the past eleven years, Barbara made her home at Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community in south Asheville.

Barbara's life was always one of quiet service to her family, her community and her church. For sixty years, she was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church, where she was ordained an Elder in 1978. While living at Deerfield, she enjoyed a close relationship with the members of the St. Giles community.

As a devoted mother of six children and advocate of public education, Barbara served as PTA President of almost every school they attended. During 1966-67, the Keleher family hosted Brinda Chinnappa, an AFS exchange student from India. Both families exchanged visits throughout the years and remain in close contact to this day.

Barbara's contributions to the arts community of Asheville are well-known. She was a strong supporter of the Asheville Art Museum in its infancy as it moved from Charlotte Street to Pearson Drive to the Civic Center lower level. Barbara served on the Museum's board on and off from 1972 through 1995, and as chair, she worked tirelessly toward the permanent location of today's Art Museum on Pack Square.

Barbara and Mike spent many years getting to know emerging artists and their work and developed an eclectic collection of regional crafts, particularly Studio Glass. Many of these works help define glass in Western North Carolina. The collection was recently donated to the Asheville Art Museum, and will be included in the upcoming Fire on the Mountain, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Studio Glass Movement and the glass artists of Western North Carolina.

As the first woman elected to the Asheville City Council (1969), Barbara Keleher helped usher in a spirit of bipartisanship culminating in Asheville's being selected an All-American City in 1970. She believed that "nothing is insolvable if people work together." Perhaps that was why she was asked to serve on so many boards: Office of Economic Opportunity, Civic Center Commission, Asheville-Buncombe Charter Commission, American Red Cross, Buncombe County Medical Auxiliary, and Southern Highland Craft Guild's Advisory Council on which she served from the mid-80s until 1991.

In 1974, Barbara was appointed to the Board of the 1st Union National Bank and served for twelve years. From 1980-86, she served on the Kate B. Reynolds Health Care Trust in Winston Salem. In 1981 she was the Chair of the Admissions Committee of the United Way in Asheville. She also served many years on the Library Board of Warren Wilson College.

Barbara and Mike loved to travel and study, and in the course of four decades visited numerous countries on five continents. For several months in 1984, they worked as relief medical personnel in a remote mission hospital in Zaire.

For recreation, Barbara enjoyed playing bridge, sharing her love of reading with her AAUW book group, and in her younger days, playing tennis. However, for true relaxation, the Carolina beaches always held a special place in Barbara's heart. The Pawleys Island summer vacations when the children were young eventually transitioned into the Oak Island "Cousins Beach" annual reunions, and because of them, the next generation bonded as a close-knit group.

Barbara's steadfast spirit of service continued after moving with Mike to Deerfield Retirement Community in early 2000. She was elected to the first Deerfield Resident Council, and five years later was selected to be President of the Council. She served the community at a time that major strategic decisions were being made about the future growth of the community. Barbara had a way of making everyone feel special, and this contributed to a strong, cohesive and vibrant residential community.

The Keleher family is grateful for their parents' foresight in choosing Deerfield for their final years, and to the entire Deerfield staff who worked to make those years meaningful. Particular gratitude goes to all of the members of the Health Care team.

In 2001, Barbara was preceded in death by her beloved husband of sixty years, Michael F. Keleher, M.D. Her parents, infant sister, Jean Cassat, and her brother, David Cassat, also preceded her in death.

Barbara is survived by her six children: Susan Evans and husband Neal of Asheville; Megan Hack and husband Ti of Gordonsville, VA; Kate Murphy and husband Shawn of Seattle, WA; Jamie Walter and husband Skip of Bainbridge Island, WA; Kim Scroggs and husband Andy of Merritt Island, FL; Mike Keleher and wife Jennifer of the Newfound Community of Leicester; and AFS daughter, Brinda Chinnappa Somaya and husband Anand of Mumbai, India. Barbara also is survived by her sister, Anne Nash and husband Pete of Punta Gorda, FL.

Barbara has twelve grandchildren: Rachel Evans Burgett (John), Abraham Evans (Cameron), Lydia Evans Sfeir (Matt), Alex Hack (Alexandra), Wilson Hack, Tyler Murphy, Elizabeth Walter Shelly (David), Maggie Walter Anthoney (Brian), John Walter, Drew Scroggs (Carine), Michael Scroggs (fiancée Chelsea) and Michael Francis Keleher. She delighted in her ten great-grandchildren, and her many cousins, nieces, nephews and dear friends.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Keleher Endowment Fund of the Community Foundation of WNC (P.O. Box 1888, Asheville, NC 28802) or to the Deerfield Residency Fund (1617 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803).

The family will receive friends from 2:00 - 4:00 PM on Tuesday, January 17 in the Blue Ridge Room at Deerfield.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, January 18 at St. Giles Chapel on the Deerfield Retirement Campus. Private burial services will be held at Lewis Memorial Park.

Morris Funeral Home, 304 Merrimon Avenue is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be sent through the website www.morrisfamilyfuneralhome.com.