OAKLAND – Barbara Wilson Pinkham of Oakland passed away peacefully from complications of Lewy Body dementia on Dec. 19, 2023, at her home with family by her side.

She was born in Waterville on May 5, 1933, to parents Lewis and Martha Wilson. She attended elementary schools in Waterville until the family moved to Fairfield and she graduated from Lawrence High School in 1951. She became a student at Farmington State Teachers College where she majored in Elementary Education, graduating in 1955. It was there at a dance she met the “love of her life” Emmons Pinkham and they married in 1954 at the Fairfield Methodist Church, days before the start of their senior year in college. They were married for 69 years in September. Their first teaching assignment was in Albion until Emmons was drafted in the army and she continued teaching in Maine until she was able to join him in California. With her teaching certificate, she was qualified to teach in Petaluma, California until his commitment to the service was completed and they headed back to Maine. She continued to teach in Waterville and then Oakland. She successfully taught many children to read and fostered in students a love for the written word. She was a true teacher to many students in public and Sunday schools, as well as to her two sons and grandchildren.

When not teaching she became involved with various organizations in the Waterville area: Friends of the Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers, Oakland Tuesday Club, Sunday School Superintendent, Church choir, Kennebec Retired Educators Association, and the Oakland-Sidney United Methodist Church Noon Lunch Committee and Double and One Club. She worked at Kingfield Savings Bank when Emmons was Superintendent of Schools in the Kingfield area. In the early 1990s she became involved with her husband’s interest in forming an Historical Society for his home town of Lexington Maine including neighboring Highland. A History House has been built in Lexington, along with an attached shed, summer kitchen, barn, and blacksmith shop which offers tours during the summer months. Gardening and building rock walls have been interests for the two of them at this site.

During the winter of 2001 they started going to Betmar in Zephyrhills, Fla., where they were active with the Garden Club, Dance Club, and Friday evening entertainment. They were volunteers at the West Zephyrhills School gardens. They initiated “Betmar North” and for several summers invited friends from the Betmar community to spend time in Maine.

Barbara will be remembered as being outgoing and compassionate with ability to find a connection even with strangers. With her husband she had a love of music, and the two of them could dance a “mean” polka. Her commitment to her faith was well established, willing to give herself to others in Christian love.

She was predeceased by her brother, Arthur Wilson of Fairfield, and her parents.

She is survived by her two sons, Mark and his spouse Ken of Farmingdale, and Matthew of Madison, a brother and wife William and Eva Chase, Waterville, sister Anita and Phil Libby of Clinton, and sister-in-law Shirley Wilson of Winslow. Grandchildren, Matthew Pinkham, Arizona, Katelyn Pinkham, Arizona, Orion Pinkham, Augusta, Yarrow Pinkham, East Machias, and Great-Grandchildren, Madelyn and Jaxson Harracksingh, Arizona. Several nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.

A celebration of life will be held in June at the Oakland-Sidney United Methodist Church in Oakland, date to be announced. Burial will be at Center Cemetery in Lexington, Maine after the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Barbara’s memory to Lexington/Highland Historical Society c/o Carol Wilson, 1343 Long Falls Dam Road, Lexington Twp, Maine 04961, or Oakland-Sidney United Methodist Church,

20 West School St.,

Oakland, Maine 04963.

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