Barbara Baker Bird
Died
1930 - 2019
Barbara Bird, a long-time resident of Philadelphia, passed away peacefully September 1, 2019, at her home is Estero Florida in the company of her spouse, Donna Anderton. She was 88.
Barbara was born in Peoria Illinois, October 26, 1930, daughter of Lyman Baker and Betty Ball Baker, and granddaughter of Murray Baker, a founder of Caterpillar Tractor. Her stepfather, who she called her "Daddy," was George Staub Eggleston. Barbara graduated from St. Petersburg High, Sweet Briar College, and received her Masters Degree in Social Work from Columbia University. She was a member of the Germantown Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Philadelphia.
Barbara was married to psychologist Dr. Hugh Robert (Bob) Bird for some twenty years, and together they had three children, Michael Peter Bird, Timothy Lyman Bird, and Elizabeth Rebecca Bird. As Barbara's son Tim recently said, "Her family is her legacy."
Barbara's life touched many others besides her family. She was a lifelong peace and social activist. In 1953, she visited newly emerging democracies in India, Jordan, and Germany. Her excitement at what she learned influenced her profoundly in her future work.
In the early 1960s Barbara and her husband Bob lived in India with their two young sons, co-directing a rural development project for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker social service organization.
Later, after moving to Philadelphia where the Birds' youngest child Beth was born, Barbara worked at Interim House, a halfway house for alcoholic women. She also helped found - and eventually directed - Women Against Abuse, Philadelphia's first shelter for battered women. Barbara subsequently worked with special needs children at Parkway Day School in Germantown, before becoming Director of Welcome House, an adoption program for international and special needs children founded by Pearl S. Buck.
From 1989 to 1995 Barbara and her partner Donna Anderton co-directed the AFSC's international affairs program in Asia. In that capacity they traveled extensively in Southeast and South Asia to help facilitate meetings and seminars addressing critical needs in the region.
Barbara was an avid gardener and birdwatcher. She co-founded a women's group in 1969, which continues to this day. She volunteered at Pinewood Elementary School in Florida, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the American Friends Service Committee.
Barbara was preceded in death by her son Michael Bird.
She is survived by her spouse, Donna Anderton; son and daughter-in-law Timothy Bird, Rebecca MacDonald, and their daughter Siena Rose MacDonald Bird of Brooklyn; daughter and daughter-in-law Beth Bird, Betti-Sue Hertz, and their son Mateus Hertz-Bird of San Francisco; granddaughter Grace Elizabeth Stanton Bird; brother Dudley Eggleston, and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
A memorial service will celebrate Barbara's life on October 26, 2019, at 2 PM at the Germantown Friends Meeting, 47 West Coulter Street, Philadelphia, PA. All are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the American Friends Service Committee, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102 or to Hope Hospice, 27200 Imperial Street, Bonita Springs, FL 34135.
Barbara Bird, a long-time resident of Philadelphia, passed away peacefully September 1, 2019, at her home is Estero Florida in the company of her spouse, Donna Anderton. She was 88.
Barbara was born in Peoria Illinois, October 26, 1930, daughter of Lyman Baker and Betty Ball Baker, and granddaughter of Murray Baker, a founder of Caterpillar Tractor. Her stepfather, who she called her "Daddy," was George Staub Eggleston. Barbara graduated from St. Petersburg High, Sweet Briar College, and received her Masters Degree in Social Work from Columbia University. She was a member of the Germantown Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Philadelphia.
Barbara was married to psychologist Dr. Hugh Robert (Bob) Bird for some twenty years, and together they had three children, Michael Peter Bird, Timothy Lyman Bird, and Elizabeth Rebecca Bird. As Barbara's son Tim recently said, "Her family is her legacy."
Barbara's life touched many others besides her family. She was a lifelong peace and social activist. In 1953, she visited newly emerging democracies in India, Jordan, and Germany. Her excitement at what she learned influenced her profoundly in her future work.
In the early 1960s Barbara and her husband Bob lived in India with their two young sons, co-directing a rural development project for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker social service organization.
Later, after moving to Philadelphia where the Birds' youngest child Beth was born, Barbara worked at Interim House, a halfway house for alcoholic women. She also helped found - and eventually directed - Women Against Abuse, Philadelphia's first shelter for battered women. Barbara subsequently worked with special needs children at Parkway Day School in Germantown, before becoming Director of Welcome House, an adoption program for international and special needs children founded by Pearl S. Buck.
From 1989 to 1995 Barbara and her partner Donna Anderton co-directed the AFSC's international affairs program in Asia. In that capacity they traveled extensively in Southeast and South Asia to help facilitate meetings and seminars addressing critical needs in the region.
Barbara was an avid gardener and birdwatcher. She co-founded a women's group in 1969, which continues to this day. She volunteered at Pinewood Elementary School in Florida, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the American Friends Service Committee.
Barbara was preceded in death by her son Michael Bird.
She is survived by her spouse, Donna Anderton; son and daughter-in-law Timothy Bird, Rebecca MacDonald, and their daughter Siena Rose MacDonald Bird of Brooklyn; daughter and daughter-in-law Beth Bird, Betti-Sue Hertz, and their son Mateus Hertz-Bird of San Francisco; granddaughter Grace Elizabeth Stanton Bird; brother Dudley Eggleston, and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
A memorial service will celebrate Barbara's life on October 26, 2019, at 2 PM at the Germantown Friends Meeting, 47 West Coulter Street, Philadelphia, PA. All are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the American Friends Service Committee, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102 or to Hope Hospice, 27200 Imperial Street, Bonita Springs, FL 34135.
Source: The New York Tiomes
Published on: 26-10-2019