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Mom

On March 29th my mother, Barbara Walker, passed away after an almost 2 year fight with breast cancer. I've posted this gallery to honor her memory.

As you can see, the majority of these pictures are of her outside. She loved being outdoors and enjoying the natural world. She loved all wildlife but especially birds and butterflies. She volunteered much of her time at the local Massachusetts Audubon Society and was an officer in the Massachusetts chapter of the North American Butterfly Association.

Mom truly made me into the man I am today. She introduced me to nature later in life and I cherish the memories I have of the times I spent with her and my Dad. Waiting for woodcocks at dusk, helping salamanders cross the road on Big Night, stumbling on the diamondback rattlesnake in Texas, hawkwatching in Cape May, 4th of July Butterfly counts, nighthawk monitoring at the cemetery... so many great times. And without her encouragement I probably never would have gotten involved with photography.

She was the best mother anyone could ask for and I miss her every day.
Barbara, Gail, and Elise Butterflying in El Cielo
Barbara, Gail, and Elise Butterflying in El Cielo		 Admiring a Green Comma
Admiring a Green Comma		 Butterflying the Dismal Swamp
Butterflying the Dismal Swamp		 Mountaintop in California
Mountaintop in California
Mt Tom Trip
Mt Tom Trip		 Tortoiseshell Landing Strip
Tortoiseshell Landing Strip		 Massachusetts Butterfly Club Trip to Texas
Massachusetts Butterfly Club Trip to Texas		 Walking the Rocks in Gloucester
Walking the Rocks in Gloucester
Massachusetts Butterfly Group
Massachusetts Butterfly Group		 The Ladies
The Ladies		 Barbara and Mike
Barbara and Mike		 Rick and Barbara
Rick and Barbara
Visiting White Sands
Visiting White Sands		 Shadows
Shadows		 Birding in Trinidad
Birding in Trinidad		 Exploring Texas
Exploring Texas
Barbara
Barbara		 Barbara and Rick
Barbara and Rick		 Trenholm Wedding
Trenholm Wedding		 Overlooking the Mountains
Overlooking the Mountains
Barbara and Kerry on Plum Island
Barbara and Kerry on Plum Island		 Rick and Barbara on Cape Cod
Rick and Barbara on Cape Cod		 Barbara and Mike
Barbara and Mike		 Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing
Feeding a Chickadee
Feeding a Chickadee		 Barbara at White Sands
Barbara at White Sands		 Barbara and Cheryl
Barbara and Cheryl		 Rick and Barbara
Rick and Barbara
The Walkers Together at Christmas
The Walkers Together at Christmas		 Babe, Rick, Shirley, and Barbara Walker
Babe, Rick, Shirley, and Barbara Walker		 Forbush Bird Club
Forbush Bird Club		 Barbara, Mike, and Kerry
Barbara, Mike, and Kerry
Rick and Barbara
Rick and Barbara

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Gina Kin 29-May-2008 14:00
Hi Mike,

I was so sorry to hear about your mom. Deb Cary our director of Central Sanctuaries where your mom volunteered at Broad Meadow Brook is writing a wonderful article about your mom for the August issue of Connections (our membership publication). She sounds like a wonderful woman who touched a lot of people and added so much value to the programs at Mass Audubon. Your website was passed along to me in the hopes of using one of the photos for the article. Would I be able to use the one with your mom looking at the green comma butterfly with the group? Also are you the photographer? (we would include a photo credit). Please call me as soon as possible in regards to this as we are working on a deadline.

Gina King
781-259-2132
Writer/editor
Mass Audubon
john slonina 14-May-2008 16:11
Mike
With great sadness I read this.
I am sorry I had no idea she passed away till now. She was a wonderful person and I cherished the time I got to spend with her in the field. She always made me smile. Her love of natural history and the outdoors and her family was very admirable. I will miss her.
Vicki and I send our condolences to you and your family
Ellen Minichiello 02-Apr-2008 18:42
You are a beautiful, loving, caring son. That is a wonderful gift your mother gave us all. Her spirit will now live through you. How lucky we all are. I remember the hugh RELIEF I felt when working in Worcester, and Barbara arrived to input the data for the Bird Count (sitting at the volunteer/intern desk on the second floor of Mass Audubon's Broad Meadow Brook, "BMB"). I felt incredibly grateful; and I told her so. And ALL your family was tremendous with the volunteer efforts for the annual Boo Meadow Brook when I was involved. Now, as a resident of Florida, I will continue to see Barbara in the beauty and gentleness of the butterflies around me. It's very comforting. Nature does that for me. I am in touch with her dear friend Gail, and the BMB gang, so I feel our paths will cross again, Michael. The circle that surrounds and comforts you and your family is larger than you might have imagined. Barbara was a far-reaching woman!
Dale Rhoda01-Apr-2008 06:03
I have fun memories of looking for butterflies with Barbara. In the late 1990's she talked me into leading my first Mass Butterfly Club walks at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. The first year I led one, no one showed up. When Barbara found out about that, she encouraged me to lead it again the following year, and by golly, she and Rick and Kerry drove in to the city to attend the walk that second year. They were the only ones who showed up. That was super thoughtful, and very Barbaraesque.

My most recent memory in the field with her was walking along single-file at the Ponkapoag Bog in May of 2006 looking for Hessel's Hairstreaks. She and I were walking and talking at the back of a group of 10 or 12 folks...quite a ways back...no one else was in sight, but we could still hear the group. Everyone ahead of us was bumping and shaking the trees, so we didn't think we stood much of a chance of seeing anything...surely the others would have the first crack at any nearby hairstreaks. Nevertheless, I dutifully jostled every jostlable cedar tree. When I jostled the 483rd one, Barbara, who was behind me, called out in a loud clear voice: "I've got a butterfly flying..." I followed her gaze and focused my own binocs as she said: "It landed...it's small..." Everyone up ahead was quiet now, listening to the pitch of Barbara's voice rise with excitement: "It's green!...It's a Hessell's". As she said that, I brought it into focus and enjoyed my first clear view of a Hessell's Hairstreak, resting on a cedar branch. Moments later, the rest of the leparazzi came scooting back along the boardwalk trying to get a look, but the hairstreak was not cooperative...it flew off, giving the others only the briefest glimpse of its south end, heading north.

I'll never forget the fun of that shared moment, and the excitement in Barbara's voice, which epitomizes for me, her joy.

Ever since she drove in to Boston to attend that butterfly walk that I led about ten years ago, the very mention of Barbara's name has always brought a smile to my face...a weak attempt to mirror her own smile, no doubt. I will miss her.

-Dale Rhoda
Guest 31-Mar-2008 23:39
Dear Rick, Mike, and Kerry,
There aren't enough words to even come close to describing what a wonderful person Barbara was or how very much she will be missed. I was fortunate to have her in my life and blessed to call her a friend. Thank you guys for always making me feel like one of the family!!! My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Much love,
Cheryl Gatto
Eric Chilton 31-Mar-2008 16:12
Mrs. Walker (I'm not ready to call her Barbara) was a kind and generous person. I never saw her without a smile and her positive attitude was infectious. I remember fondly the many times that she welcomed me into your home and will miss her terribly.
Joan Zumpfe 31-Mar-2008 15:38
Rick, Mike and Kerry,
Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful photos of Barbara / your Mom with us. Barbara was so much fun to be with on the Forbush Bird Club trips. She often shared her knowledge of nature and especially butterflies with great enthusiasm. Her happiness in being outdoors and enjoying nature were obvious in her beaming eyes, smiles and chuckles. She was fortunate to have such a loving family who shared her interests. Barbara will be missed by so many of us who had the pleasure of her company.
With sympathy,
Joan Zumpfe
The Small's 31-Mar-2008 12:59
Barbara's warm smile and infectious enthusiasm will always be remembered. She was a good friend who will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers to all her family and many friends.
Dave and Shelley Small
Debbie Berard 30-Mar-2008 21:20
We are all sad at the passing of Barbara. We enjoyed her complany during many birding trips and especially when she shared her great knowledge of butterflies. She had a great smile and gentle friendly manner. The world is a better place because of her.
Our condolences to all of you.
The Berards
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