Antoinette Barlow Harris

Antoinette Barlow Harris passed away on February 23, 2015. Formerly of Straight Road, Fredonia, she had resided at Fredonia Place for the past year.

Born on January 30, 1918 to the late Hermon and Leah Brundage Barlow, Antoinette was proud of her family's heritage in grape growing and credited her long life to good genes and to being the daughter of a grape farmer. Upon retirement from teaching in 1975 she took on the work of her father's vineyards on West Main Street in Fredonia, wrote a memoir tracing her Fredonia family history to the early 1800s, recorded that history for Story Corps as part of a Smithsonian project, documented and refinished many family heirlooms and maintained a zest for life as a committed do-it-your-selfer. She loved being outside, gardening and was an accomplished seamstress and bread baker. She loved dancing, reading and studied much about health, nutrition and vegetarian cooking.

Antoinette graduated from Fredonia Normal School in 1939 along with her father's hired man, Francis Harris, whom she married on May 27 immediately following graduation. They moved to Central New York for teaching positions but soon found jobs closer to Fredonia in Franklinville, NY where they raised two daughters, Donna Guillaume and Kay Barlow. Antoinette continued courses at Fredonia State until she earned her master's degree in the late 1940s. She and Frank moved back to Fredonia in 1960 where Antoinette served as a first-grade teacher at Fredonia's Eagle Street school until her retirement. For many years she was an active member of the Fredonia Presbyterian Church.

Antoinette is survived by daughters: Donna Guillaume (Edward Kidston), St. Petersburg, FL and Van Buren Point; and Kay Barlow (James Wilmoth), Fredonia; six grandchildren: Stephanie Brash (Gary Deckard), Susan Niesciur (Len Niesciur), Julia Guillaume, Marc Guillaume (Juliene Webster), Leah Collins (Heather McEntarfer) and Ruth Collins (Patrick Schuermann); and five great-grandchildren: Sophie and Charlie Niesciur, Emma Deckard, Skylar and Sylvia Guillaume. In addition to her parents, Antoinette was predeceased by her husband Francis and her sister Esther Barlow Lutgen.

Memorials may be made to the Darwin Barker Library, Hospice Chautauqua County, Lakeshore Humane Society or a charity of choice. A private burial was conducted by family at the Webster Road Cemetery. A public memorial service will be held at Barlow's Mill, Fredonia in May.

Obituary from the Dunkirk Observer

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