1948
Barbara
2023
Barbara Young
April 13, 1948 — June 16, 2023
WILLIAMSBURG - Bobbin Young of Williamsburg, MA died peacefully on Friday June 16, 2023, surrounded by family and listening to the recorded songs of hermit thrushes, after a long, courageous battle against lung disease. She waged that fight with grace, good cheer and determination throughout the entire COVID pandemic, despite the torment of being separated from friends, siblings, cousins, and even her daughter for much of that time. She will be remembered by everyone who knew her for her unfailing warmth, optimism, kindness and patience, and for her radiant smile.
Born April 13, 1948 and adopted as an infant by the late Arthur Jr. and Virginia (Henes) Young, she was raised in Milwaukee, WI with her (also adopted) brother Andrew. She graduated from the University School of Milwaukee in 1966 and from Smith College in 1970. She stayed in regular touch via Zoom with a boisterous and thoughtful group of her Smith housemates right to the end. She had another tight-knit group of women friends she met when they all were young mothers with their first babies. They continued to get together several times a year, some coming from great distances, for 44 years. In April they celebrated Bobbin’s 75th birthday in a party at her home, joyfully ending her long pandemic isolation.
She is survived by her husband of 46 years Eric Weber, daughter Amy Elizabeth Weber and son David Young Weber, all of Williamsburg, where the family has lived since 1978; her brother Andrew Mitchell Young and his wife Patricia (Phelan) of Virginia Beach, VA and their children; her beloved half-sister Robin (McDaniel) Fox of Rome, GA and Robin’s daughter, Jamie Barton, who brought Bobbin and Robin together; half-brothers Tom and Scott McDaniel of Mayfield, KY; in-laws Chris and Bruce Weber-Johnson of Davis, CA and Bill and Ellen (Weber) Giduz of Davidson, NC, and several other nieces and nephews. Discovering her birth mother’s identity, and meeting and getting to know her half-siblings and Jamie, were among the greatest joys in Bobbin’s adult life.
Through most of the 1970s she and partner Jon Solins co-owned and operated Amaranth Leather in Hatfield, and Bobbin became widely known for her unique laminated-leather boxes. She was an ardent supporter of the arts and fine craft all her life. During the late ‘70s and ‘80s she was an active behind-the-scenes volunteer for the WGBY Channel 57 Auction in Springfield. Public TV and radio were lifelong companions for her.
As her children grew older she began volunteering at Williamsburg’s Meekins Library, and soon became an employee. She celebrated 25 years on the job she loved just a few weeks before her passing. During her time at Meekins she substantially implemented its transition from a tiny, dingy, antiquated facility with a paper card catalog and impossibly cramped stacks to a fully accessible, modern electronic library – and she was a major donor toward its renovation and expansion in 2002-2003. She saw libraries as essential community centers where everyone must be welcomed and allowed unfettered access to information. She delighted in living in a place where the library and the schools are vigorously supported by the public.
She served on and then chaired the board of Snow Farm, The New England Craft Program, and was particularly devoted to its summer sessions for high schoolers, which introduce talented kids who may not get expert arts instruction in school to many different media and techniques. Snow Farm was dear to her heart even after her advancing illness and the pandemic prevented her from visiting there.
In later years Bobbin came to believe fiercely in the graduate program in ecological design at the Conway School, from which Eric and Dave both graduated and where Dave works. She made major contributions to its ongoing capital campaign, and in her last two years was thrilled to see the school’s teachings embodied in the beautiful landscape of her family’s new home. She was a lover of the outdoors and an avid birder to the end, and wanted her yard to model what can be done with native plantings to support birds, pollinators and other wildlife, air and water quality, and energy efficiency.
A MEMORIAL GATHERING IS BEING PLANNED FOR SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to The Friends of Williamsburg Libraries, Snow Farm, or The Conway School. Donation links are below:
Meekins Library, P.O.Box 772, Williamsburg, MA 01096
https://www.meekins-library.org/Pages/Index/183813/support-the-libraries
https://www.snowfarm.org/support/donate/
https://www.csld.edu/donate/
Born April 13, 1948 and adopted as an infant by the late Arthur Jr. and Virginia (Henes) Young, she was raised in Milwaukee, WI with her (also adopted) brother Andrew. She graduated from the University School of Milwaukee in 1966 and from Smith College in 1970. She stayed in regular touch via Zoom with a boisterous and thoughtful group of her Smith housemates right to the end. She had another tight-knit group of women friends she met when they all were young mothers with their first babies. They continued to get together several times a year, some coming from great distances, for 44 years. In April they celebrated Bobbin’s 75th birthday in a party at her home, joyfully ending her long pandemic isolation.
She is survived by her husband of 46 years Eric Weber, daughter Amy Elizabeth Weber and son David Young Weber, all of Williamsburg, where the family has lived since 1978; her brother Andrew Mitchell Young and his wife Patricia (Phelan) of Virginia Beach, VA and their children; her beloved half-sister Robin (McDaniel) Fox of Rome, GA and Robin’s daughter, Jamie Barton, who brought Bobbin and Robin together; half-brothers Tom and Scott McDaniel of Mayfield, KY; in-laws Chris and Bruce Weber-Johnson of Davis, CA and Bill and Ellen (Weber) Giduz of Davidson, NC, and several other nieces and nephews. Discovering her birth mother’s identity, and meeting and getting to know her half-siblings and Jamie, were among the greatest joys in Bobbin’s adult life.
Through most of the 1970s she and partner Jon Solins co-owned and operated Amaranth Leather in Hatfield, and Bobbin became widely known for her unique laminated-leather boxes. She was an ardent supporter of the arts and fine craft all her life. During the late ‘70s and ‘80s she was an active behind-the-scenes volunteer for the WGBY Channel 57 Auction in Springfield. Public TV and radio were lifelong companions for her.
As her children grew older she began volunteering at Williamsburg’s Meekins Library, and soon became an employee. She celebrated 25 years on the job she loved just a few weeks before her passing. During her time at Meekins she substantially implemented its transition from a tiny, dingy, antiquated facility with a paper card catalog and impossibly cramped stacks to a fully accessible, modern electronic library – and she was a major donor toward its renovation and expansion in 2002-2003. She saw libraries as essential community centers where everyone must be welcomed and allowed unfettered access to information. She delighted in living in a place where the library and the schools are vigorously supported by the public.
She served on and then chaired the board of Snow Farm, The New England Craft Program, and was particularly devoted to its summer sessions for high schoolers, which introduce talented kids who may not get expert arts instruction in school to many different media and techniques. Snow Farm was dear to her heart even after her advancing illness and the pandemic prevented her from visiting there.
In later years Bobbin came to believe fiercely in the graduate program in ecological design at the Conway School, from which Eric and Dave both graduated and where Dave works. She made major contributions to its ongoing capital campaign, and in her last two years was thrilled to see the school’s teachings embodied in the beautiful landscape of her family’s new home. She was a lover of the outdoors and an avid birder to the end, and wanted her yard to model what can be done with native plantings to support birds, pollinators and other wildlife, air and water quality, and energy efficiency.
A MEMORIAL GATHERING IS BEING PLANNED FOR SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to The Friends of Williamsburg Libraries, Snow Farm, or The Conway School. Donation links are below:
Meekins Library, P.O.Box 772, Williamsburg, MA 01096
https://www.meekins-library.org/Pages/Index/183813/support-the-libraries
https://www.snowfarm.org/support/donate/
https://www.csld.edu/donate/
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Barbara Young, please visit our flower store.
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