Barbara K. Winters

Barbara Keeping Winters, Barb to many, of Modena, New York passed away on September 17, 2021 at Vassar Regional Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, New York. She had just celebrated her 75th birthday earlier in the month.

Barbara was born in Newburgh, New York to John and Shirley Keeping on September 1, 1946. She attended Wallkill High School and graduated in 1964. She went on to attend SUNY Albany and SUNY New Paltz where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education. 

After graduation, she began teaching English at Wallkill Senior High School. She eventually transferred to Marlboro High School where she retired in 2000. Barbara was twice nominated for the National Teacher of the Year Award.

Barbara enjoyed playing golf, gardening, cooking delicious meals for her family, playing pinochle and quilting. For several years Barbara served as an EMT with the Modena Fire and Rescue Squad. After retirement, she and her husband would spend their winters in Florida, enjoying the warm weather and fellowship of many dear friends. She was also a member of the Wallkill Reformed Church and the Memorial United Methodist church in Modena.

Barbara is survived by her husband of 53 years, David, her son Shawn (Amanda) and their children (Mark, Shawn, Owen, and Arilyn) of Wallkill, New York and her daughter ErinStacy Ritsema (David) and their children (Asher and Daniel) of Greeley, Colorado.

Memorial visitation will take place Friday, October 1, 2021 from 4-7pm at Wallkill Funeral Home, 12 Bonaventura Ave., Wallkill, NY 12589. At the request of the family, masks are preferred.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday October 2nd at 11am at the Modena Methodist Church with Reverend Stan Seagren and Reverend Albert Hahn officiating. Masks will be required at the Celebration of Life.

Burial of her ashes will be at a later time by the family at the Modena Rural Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 611 Granite Springs Rd., Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; or the Wallkill Reformed Church, PO Box 54, Wallkill, NY 12589.

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