Barbara G Fleming

1924 - 2020

Barbara Gooden Fleming, 96, passed away at Good Shepherd Village at Endwell, NY on Thursday, December 24, 2020. She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry M. and Mary M. Gooden, her devoted husband, Richard Peter Fleming, and their daughter, Jan Fleming. She is survived by her son Pete (Lucy) Fleming and daughter Ellen (Bob) Louthan. She is also survived by her grandchildren Rich (Jennifer Takesaka) Fleming, Kate (Matt Breece) Fleming, Patrick (Joslyn) Fleming, Rob Louthan, and Barbara Louthan, and great-grandchildren Muriel and Ryan Fleming, and Henry Takesaka Fleming. Barbara grew up in Forest Hills, NY, graduating from Richmond Hill High School. It was there that she developed a love of tennis. (After her playing days ended, rooting for her all-time favorite Roger Federer gave her years of enjoyment.) It was also there that she met her beloved husband of 56 years, Richard (Dick) Fleming, marrying in 1944 and raising three wonderful children. In 1959, they moved to Baton Rouge, LA where they lived for over fifty years, raising their family and establishing a wonderful social network of close friends, traveling, and enjoying a vacation condo at Perdido Key, FL. Barbara was a loving wife and mother, delighting her family with her love of life, sense of humor, and readiness to engage in games of all kinds. She was an avid bridge player; however, her children's lack of enthusiasm was a great source of disappointment. She loved board games (a tenacious Candy Land player) and parlor games like Charades--her acting out of "Birth of a Nation" will long remain in family lore. Later in life, she took up water color painting and demonstrated a real talent, resulting in friendly competition among her family to get a "B Fleming" to hang on their wall. After Dick's death in 2000, Barbara lived in Baton Rouge with her beloved Schnauzer, Molly, for ten more years before moving to Good Shepherd Village, a continuing care retirement community in Endwell NY. (It tickled her that she ended up in "Endwell!") She enjoyed her years there until she was overtaken by failing health. Her family wishes to thank the entire staff at Good Shepherd Village, and in particular, the nurses, aides, and therapists at the Skilled Nursing Facility. Their compassionate care and consideration, including facilitating her son to be at her side as she passed, despite COVID restrictions, was truly extraordinary. No funeral services are planned and a family-only celebration of Barbara's life will be held after the pandemic subsides. If anyone wishes to make a donation in Barbara G. Fleming's memory, contributions may be made to the Good Shepherd Communities Foundation, 32 Village Drive, Endwell, NY 13760 (https://www.goodshepherdcommunities.org/good-shepherd- communities-foundation/).