Obituary

Barbara P. Schueler

Fri, 04/23/2021 - 7:45am

Barbara Perham Schueler, long-time resident of Boothbay, Maine passed away March 28, 2021, at the age of 77, at Ascension Sacred Heart with her daughter and grandchildren by her side.

Born May 27, 1943 in Norwalk, Connecticut, she was the daughter of Frank and Nina Perham. She had five siblings.

As quoted in her school yearbook, “she was a beautiful, long blonde-haired, young lady who was known for talking and loved ‘dating’.” She graduated high school in Bergenfield, New Jersey in 1961.

On May 25, 1963 she married, Barry Schueler, in Norwalk, Connecticut. There they had two children, Tom and Sandi. 

In 1972 she moved briefly to Trevett, and then settled in East Boothbay, Maine where she worked at Luke’s Boatyard, down the hill from where she lived. She was a skilled seamstress, talented artist and crafter, avid beach goer, prolific gardener, and highly regarded cook. 

She was a member of the local PTA and an active member of the East Boothbay United Methodist Church.

In 1991 she gained a beloved son-in-law, Justin Smith. In 1993 and 1994 she was blessed with her two grandchildren, Caleb and Madison. Her yard was filled with gardens and plants and her heart and plans were always about her children and grandchildren.

In 2001, she moved with her daughter’s family to Panama City, Florida as neighbors. She enjoyed keeping busy  by making friends daily, gardening, cooking for the neighborhood, and seeing her grandchildren.

In the following years, she suffered from vascular disease, effects of smoking and eventually became an amputee. She continued to live life to its fullest, enjoying all that she loved, independently. Time would eventually lead her to move into a senior housing community. After a stroke and a diagnosis of metastatic lung cancer, she moved into an assisted living facility. Due to the disastrous damage from Hurricane Michael in 2018, she was transferred to a facility in Pensacola, Florida. She was finally able to return to a local nursing facility in October of 2020, back close to her family, specifically, her beloved grandchildren.

Prior to her passing, she was diagnosed with dementia and cancer in her second lung.

On Sunday, March 28, she was admitted to Ascension Sacred Heart. That same day, she passed away with her family by her side.

She is survived by her son,Tom; daughter and son-in-law, Sandi and Justin; grandchildren, Caleb and Mattie; sister, Judith; sisters-in-law, Debbie and Cathy; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Due to COVID and her final wishes there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, if you would like, gifts may be made to the American Cancer Society.