Barbara Melcher

Barbara Alison (Johnson) Melcher, 87, died peacefully in South Orleans, Sept. 13 with her loving husband Jim Robinson and her son Chuck by her side, surrounded by her paintings, near the piano she loved playing and in her home full of so many things she made and cared about. Her warm smile endured through time and reflected her inner capacity for comfortable intimacy, interest, and concern for all whom she met. Barb influenced generations of young people as co-owner and director of Pleasant Bay Camp with Jim Melcher before devoting her life to making art. Generations of campers and counselors have been returning to Cape Cod from around the country for recent sailing reunions, exhibiting a legacy of community that Barb influenced. She is recognized on the Cape as a talented and accomplished painter and print maker. Received her BFA from MassArt 49, studied with Phil Malicoat in Provincetown and continued to learn and practice new artistic techniques all her life. Her paintings expressed her lifelong interest in color playing against color. Barbara has pieces in many permanent collections including the Cape Cod Museum of Art and the Council Hall of Truro, England. She had a curious creative intellect, always ready to look things up on Google! She will be remembered for her gentle manner, her kindness, her acceptance of others, and her endless capacity for encouraging curiosity in the creative life. She is survived by her husband James A Robinson MD, of South Orleans, her two sons; Peter Melcher and his wife Anna Carney-Melcher of Malibu, CA and Charles Melcher and his wife Margo Halverson of Portland, ME, two nieces and a nephew, 8 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. She is predeceased by her two sisters Nornie (Johnson) Temple of Littleton, MA, Joyce Johnson of Truro, MA, and her youngest son James B Melcher lll (Bart) of Kailua-Kona, HI. A public memorial service is planned for 2 pm, Sunday Sept. 28 at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House in Chatham, MA where she was very active with the art committee and sang many years in the choir.