About Barbara

Surrounded by family, Barbara Herold passed away following a short illness in February 2004. She was 66 years old. With a positive outlook and independent spirit, Barbara had battled with rheumatoid arthritis for 25 years. Her rheumatoid arthritis was a contributing factor in her death.

Barbara was born in Philadelphia in 1937 and resided in Oxford Circle until 1954, when her family moved to Abington. She was a 1955 graduate of Abington High School and earned an associate's degree at Susquehanna University in 1957.

She was employed for several years as a medical secretary at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, but after marrying Martin Herold in 1963 she spent the rest of her life raising her two children. In 1982, two weeks after she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, Martin died suddenly leaving Barbara a young widow with two young children and an uncertain financial and medical future. Despite this tragedy, she maintained a positive outlook, faithfully raising her children to be independent and responsible adults.

Barbara was an animal lover, and felt a particular bond with birds, owning many over the course of her life. She would also take in many orphaned or injured wild birds and other animals, rehabilitating and releasing them back into nature. Her love of animals was passed to her children and grandchildren, who have also grown up surrounded by animals.

Despite her arthritis, Barbara traveled extensively in her later years. Her favorite vacation destination was Ocean City, New Jersey, which she visited nearly every summer of her life. She was also very involved with her church, the Doylestown Presbyterian Church, and in many social groups. During several of the final years of her life, she had become involved with the Red Hat Society, whose purpose is to "support and encourage women in their pursuit of fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment, and fitness."

Barbara left behind a legacy of strength and perseverance through times of adversity. Despite a debilitating struggle with rheumatoid arthritis and the absence of her husband through much of her later life, she managed to rear two children on her own and care for her aging mother while maintaining strong faith in God and a positive outlook. Her example of selfless love has had a profound effect on all who knew her and serves as an inspiration for her children and grandchildren in confronting the setbacks in their own lives. In a letter passed down to her children to be read after her death, she wrote:

I wish you both happy and fruitful lives as good Christians and believing that Jesus Christ, our Lord, is always watching us and taking care of us. What else could explain my surviving your father's sudden death when I had a debilitating disease. Always be kind to each other - it is every Mother's wish. Always follow the Golden Rule and you can never go wrong.

I love you both more than you will ever know. I think in your later life you will realize how much I lost at age 45.

Barbara T. Herold

Help Barbara's memory live on by helping to fight the disease that led to her death.