Barbara J. Bolle

Barbara J. Bolle, 80, of Coopersburg, died Tuesday, March 20, 2012. She was born in Lafayette, IN, daughter of the late Raymond and Dorothea Bannister Girton. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Donald M. Bolle.

Barbara attended Oberlin Conservatory, majoring in voice and piano, retaining a lifelong love of music and art. She continued her education at New York University with a degree in Occupational Therapy and qualified as an OTR in 1957. She worked at Deaconess Hospital in St. Louis 1957, the Wabash Sanatorium 1957-8 and served as an OT for physically impaired children in NYC in the 1990's. Barbara pursued her love of choral music as a member of the Providence Singers, RI, as a member of the Cabot Street Summer Playhouse, RI, performing Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, and later, as a member of the Lehigh University Choral Union. She was also active in the Unitarian Fellowships of West Lafayette, IN, and Providence, RI. While living on Long Island she became an avid birder and volunteered at the Teddy Roosevelt Wildlife Sanctuary, the Garvey's Point Preserve president 1998-9 and was on the board of the local Audubon Societies both in Long Island and in the Lehigh Valley. She was very active in the Lehigh University Women's Club serving in a variety of Board positions, and, for a number of years, volunteered at the LU Zoellner Art Center. She had a particularly strong interest in the work of the Wildlands Conservancy.

She is lovingly remembered by her husband, Donald; sons, Alan M., Thomas R., John K., and Niels A. and wife Kate Nelson; granddaughters, Elodie and Ariette; brother, John Girton; and sister, Judy Phillips.

All services will be private and held at the convenience of the family.

Memorials may be made to the Wildlands Conservancy, 3701 Orchid Place, Emmaus, PA 18049.