Barbara Greer Williams, a sociology major at Oberlin, died September 12, 2001.
Barbi was my roommate both freshman and sophomore years. She was an absolutely wonderful roommate, kind and considerate, fun-loving, and outgoing. She married Jon Williams, also in our class, a few years after graduation.
I visited her on a couple of occasions in Wilmington, Delaware. On the second occasion, she was working as a teacher's assistant at a nearby elementary school, basically running their whole computer operation for the students, and doing it for very little pay. She really believed in the work.
She was also chain smoking and, when I heard of her too-early death, I imagined that it was from lung cancer. I'm sad that I won't be able to see her at the reunion. (Submitted by Janet Shibley Hyde)
Tom Thomas
Recently I’ve learned that their subsequent wedding was held at Oberlin. I’ve learned that they named their son R. Vaughn Williams (though the R. doesn’t stand for the composer Ralph but for Russell). And I’ve learned that Barbara’s mother Betty Greer was also an Oberlin graduate, an art history major from the Class of 1941.
Ross Bailey
I also have fond memories of Barb at Oberlin. When she and Jon started dating, all of us in the “gang” soon realized that they were a couple for life. Jon evidenced this by his gentle, loving kindness with Barb. Barb gave it away by always laughing at Jon’s jokes, even the bad ones. I don’t think I ever had a class with Barb, but I know there was one semester when we both had 8:00 o’clocks, but not 9:00 o’clocks. So after our 8:00 o’clocks, we would both go to Wilder for coffee, together with other gang members. Barb was always smiling, always had a funny story to share. Junior year, in the fall of 1967, I found out what a rabid Red Sox fan Barb was. The Red Sox were in the World Series against the Cardinals, and of course they lost in seven games. We would do a post mortem after each game. Jon had become a Red Sox fan out of loyalty to Barb. At one point, I think Jon came to the realization that his main rival for Barb’s affections was Carl Yastrzemski. My wife and I had one opportunity to visit them in Wilmington when Vaughan was about five years old. It had to be the fall of 1976. We spent an evening trading jokes and drinking white wine. Great memories!
Deborah Horn (Roosevelt)
Barb and I got to be good friends in middle school in Schenectady, NY. Like so many GE families, hers was transferred and we lost touch. Imagine my surprise and delight when we found each other as we moved into Dascomb- different sections, but just across the stairwell! As others have mentioned, she was great fun and full of spirit.
Debby Horn Roosevelt
Bonnie Wishne
Freshman year, I lived in Dascomb with Linda Tudor next door to Barbie and Jan Shibley Hyde and across the hall from Jan Phillips Grigsby. Although memories are dim, I know that we spent much time hanging out, talking about college life, studies and our social lives, and I remember Barbie as a kind, upbeat and fun-loving friend. In the summer following that year, Barbie invited Jan Shibely and me to visit her in Wellesley, and the photo below is exactly how I remember her. With Jan Phillips, who hailed from Lexington, we spent a few days visiting the sites of Boston and the North Shore and playing bridge in Barbie's living room. It was my first encounter with the ocean and lobster, and for a not-very-travelled Jewish girl from Chicago, New England might as well have been a foreign country. Barbie was, however, a gracious and generous host. And although we didn't keep in touch after graduation, her death as such a young age was both sad and shocking.
Janet Phillips (Grigsby)
Bonnie Wishne’s post got me thinking/remembering ‘freshman’ year in Dascomb and our very cool section. We were a bunch, alright. Karen Johnson and I were roommates. Karen was in a double degree program in the Con, so didn’t graduate until 1970. We roomed together again sophomore year in South.
Anyway, Barbi was a delight. She and Janet Shibley really hit it off. They were part of the ‘gang’ that played bridge after dinner every night sophomore year. Barbi was one of my bridesmaids at our crazy wedding in Lexington, MA, between the end of classes and graduation. She and Jon both came. Looking back, my bridesmaids probably hated me since they had to make all their dresses. Those were the days. Phil and I were going in the Peace Corps 3 weeks after graduation, so we were trying to not spend on the wedding. I remember we were given a lot of money gifts and got a bunch of stainless – stuff that wouldn’t self-destruct for 2 years in the attic. My mom basically planned everything for the wedding except that Phil and I wrote our vows. Mom flew out in April for two days so we could go into Cleveland to buy my dress – off-the-rack for $100! Yikes! Can you even buy a wedding dress today for that little??? Mom loved to tell stories about 'your Oberlin friends who came for the wedding!" She loved you all!
In 1986, Phil and I moved to Schenectady, where we still live. Barbi grew up here back in the days of GE prosperity, when the schools were excellent and life was golden! Not so much now, of course, since GE has moved almost all of its operations elsewhere. But I still think of Barbi often, wondering what it was like to live in Schenectady when it was the place to be. I’ve been out of touch with Jon for years and wish he was coming to the Reunion!
Two others from our wedding party are now gone. Cyndi Wheeler sang. She developed a brain tumor soon after graduation and had died by the time Phil and I got back from the Peace Corps. I still remember visiting her family in Connecticut. Chris Wilson is also gone. Really sad. All three were very special, unique examples of what Oberlin produces. I will miss them at the Reunion.
Jon Williams
But they were very nice bridesmaid dresses. Don't know what those two dudes in the middle of the picture were doing there.
Katherine Schmidt (Heide Tolliver)
Barb and I were roommates during our Junior and Senior years. Barb was a good person, caring, fun-loving, and a friend you could depend on. I have fond memories of our occasional "Trivia Challenges" before we drifted off to sleep. (eg. She stumped me on The Thin Man's Dog's name, and I got her on Tonto's Horse's name.). Then there was the night when we painted "The Rock" only to find in the morning that someone else had arrived later and painted over our Artistic Masterpiece!
This reminiscing about my good friend has been an uplifting one which I'm happy to share.