Obituary of Barbara S. Shildneck

Barbara Shildneck, 88, passed away on June 26, 2021 at the Essex Meadows Health Center in Essex, CT. She was the beloved wife of Donald Shildneck and the devoted mother of Douglas Shildneck (Didi), David Shildneck (Mary) and Richard Shildneck (Fay). She was born April 21, 1933 in Roanoke, VA to Frederick Morehead and Laura (Fox) Morehead. Barbara earned her A.B. degree at Gettysburg College and her masters in education from North Adams State College. A computer programmer for General Electric before her marriage, Barbara moved with her family to the Berkshires in 1962. She became a part-time instructor in the mathematics department at Berkshire Community College. In 1970 she and her family relocated to Erie, Pa where she performed social work with the American Red Cross. After having relocated to the Connecticut Shoreline in 1980 she and her family resided in Madison for 30 years before making a final move to Essex Meadows, a life care community located in Essex, CT. While residing in Madison, she performed social work for the Estuary Council of Senior Clubs becoming its executive director for ten or so years before retirement. Barbara enthusiastically embraced many types of outdoor recreation with her friends and family. She played field hockey at the high school level and at Gettysburg College. She was a member of the Clinton Country Club (golf) where she had a best round of 87, played an above average game of tennis, accompanied her family on vacation trips in their tent trailer and loved to visit the White Mountains where the family owned a year-round vacation home in Holderness, NH. She was particularly proud of having summited Mt. Washington more than a dozen times with her family to punctuate the end of many summer vacations in the tent trailer or their vacation home. During her ten plus years at Essex Meadows, she volunteered in the small “company store” as a cashier, helped her husband to manage the store for several years and did some committee work --- especially enjoying her several years of participation on the Essex Meadows Scholarship Foundation committee which collected funds contributed annually by the residents to assist employees (and/or the children of Essex Meadows employees) with their college expenses. She loved to play the game of bridge not only the relaxed sessions with her friends at Essex Meadows but also the occasional games of duplicate. In addition to her husband Donald and children, Barbara will be missed by her beloved grandchildren, Jeane (Nick), Brian (Sarah), Kevin, Natasha, Elyssa (Brian) and her great grandchildren Payten, Mackenzie, Wyatt, Olive, Caroline, Nathan & Benjamin…and the latest in a 50 year (+/-) string of Siamese, Burmese and Balinese cats, Mika. Barbara was pre-deceased by her granddaughter, Amber. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Barbara’s name to the Essex Meadows Employee Appreciation Fund, 30 Bokum Road, Essex Meadows, 06426, or to a charity of your choice. All services will be private. To share a memory of Barbara or send a condolence to her family please visit www.rwwfh.com Arrangements are in the care of the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook.