Barbara A. Blank,100, passed away peacefully on June 20,2026 at Reed’s Landing in Springfield MA. Barbara was born April 1, 1926, in Herkimer, NY, daughter of the late Harold and Helen (Jones) Allen and raised in Lowville, NY. She was educated at Lowville Academy, Syracuse University (class of 1948 majoring in Interior Design), and American International College (Masters in Education). She was predeceased by her husband Ralph G Blank who died in 2012 and her only sibling Charolette Finn who died in 2023.

She grew up in Lowville, NY and moved to South Hadley, MA in 1961. She lived at Loomis Village Retirement Community in South Hadley for the last 23 years of her life.

Barbara had a 24 year career as a Special Education teacher in South Hadley MA and became a strong and outspoken advocate for the disabled. Her classroom became a practicum classroom for Mount Holyoke College students studying to become teachers. Annually, she was asked to give a guest lecture in the Psyche Department at Mount Holyoke College. In addition, she served as a docent at the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum for 5 years. She also supervised for 10 years soon to be teachers graduating from Mount Holyoke College.

She held various leadership positions on the Board of Directors of Holyoke/Chicopee Mental Health Clinic and a founding Director of the Pioneer Developmental Center in Springfield. She was on the MA State Mental Health Board. She was on the board of MA Arts Cultural Council, active in South Hadley Garden Club, Quibus Club, and Gaylord Library.. She was a Trustee of the First Congregational Church of South Hadley, and worked on various committees. She cared deeply about her community, the local faith community, the disabled community, friends and of course, her family.

Having the desire to improve women’s health she became a participant in the Framingham Heart Study (aka Framingham Women’s Health Initiative), which is the longest and most in-depth research study of women’s cardiovascular health to date. The study transformed the understanding and medical treatment of women’s cardiovascular health.

She enjoyed spending time with her family, reading, painting, drawing, doing free-lance decorating, canoeing, and traveling with her husband. Barbara’s compassionate and friendly demeanor touched the lives of so many people in both her professional world and social circles. She was known to seek out those in need and offered a helping hand. She was selfless, humble, smart, compassionate, gracious always, thoughtful, organized, artistic, and had a smile for everyone.

Barbara is survived by three children, Dean Allen and his wife Susan of Greenwich, CT; Lynn Travis-Stancioff and her husband Ivan of Lincolnville, Maine; and David Blank of Northampton, MA; four grandchildren, Christie, Liz, Dimitri, and Lucia; and 8 great-grandchildren.

All services will be private. Donations in her name can be given to the First Congregational Church of South Hadley, One Church St, South Hadley, MA 01075. The O’Brien Family Funeral Home in South Hadley has been entrusted with the arrangements. For more information please go to obrienfamilyfh.com.