Barbara Crane Tobin passed away peacefully after a brief illness on Tuesday, March 6, 2012, at age 88. She was predeceased by her husband, John (Jack) Clarke Tobin, and survived by her four children, Caroline Crane Tobin, Gretchen Krueger Tobin, John Clarke Tobin Jr., and Elizabeth (Betsy) Crane Tobin, as well as her five grandchildren, Eric Tobin Peterson, Amy Chelsea Peterson, Sarah Ellis Tobin, Joshua Adam Tobin and Jesse Tobin Weiss. Barbara was a resident of Sanibel, Florida; Old Lyme, Connecticut; and Duxbury, Vermont. She graduated from Smith College in 1945.
Barbara was a well-known figure around The Valley. She and her husband Jack first started coming to The Valley with their children in the 1950s to ski at Mad River Glen. They were active members of the Amateur Ski Club of New York, and Barbara was once the president of the club. Her quiet grace on the ski slopes was a counterpoint to her husband’s aggressive racing style. After living in New Jersey for many years, Barbara and Jack moved to Duxbury in the early 1970s. She skied at Mad River Glen until her early 80s.
Barbara was secretary of the Duxbury Planning Commission and a board member of the Vermont Mozart Festival. She was a tennis player, birdwatcher, avid reader and conservation advocate. She was a loyal friend and a wonderful mother and grandmother. Her intelligence, humor, grace and independent spirit will long be treasured by those who knew her. At her request, there will be no funeral service. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Nature Conservancy, 27 State Street, Suite 4, Montpelier, Vermont 05602.
