Barbara Sumwalt did not walk into a room; she entered it with a gracious southern elegance and Manhattan style. Long red hair over the years turned silver white pulled back into a chignon, she was a seamless self-invention. She grew up in Virginia living with her parents in her maternal grandmother’s home. The Depression shaped their family lives the way it did so many others of her age. Married and divorced at a young age with a son to raise, Barbara went to New York City. Ambitious and hard working with an innate sense of style and layout, she eventually became a vice-president at Tiffany’s – an unusual career honor for a woman all those years ago.

Somewhere along the way she met Bob Sumwalt and they fell in love. Bob worked for the Singer Corporation and his job took them to Africa where Barbara slept under a tent on the Serengeti. In New York they lived on the Upper West Side above Café d’Artiste. They lived in Japan and they discovered Useppa.

“I’ve never asked you for anything Bob Sumwalt, but this you do for me.” They built Useppa’s first new home in the late 70’s.

Saturday nights at the Collier Inn over cocktails, Barbara sat at the bar with her martini glass full ... of ice tea. She didn’t drink. There were always stories round the dinner table of Barbara’s passion and creation – the Useppa Museum now named in her honor. There were stories of Bob and croquet. Oftentimes they were the same stories, but Barbara and Bob listened to each other as though for the first time.

Once I asked Bob the secret of their 30 year love affair.

“Kindness,” he said, “We’ve both been married before and we know how important that is.”

In her later years, Barbara walked along the beach collecting shells for art projects never finished. She fed her dear ducks scattering their food with the ease of a dancer. Under a full moon with Mickey Dalton and his banjo, she rode round the island on the back of my golf cart harmonizing to old songs from her youth.

Barbara and Bob loved to sing at the Collier piano with Leo at the keyboard. They danced with grace. They lived with grace.

We will miss you Barbara but the Barbara Sumwalt Museum is your legacy, your spirit will always be in the breezes.

Barbara is survived by her husband Bob, son Steve and his wife Joyce, and grandson Jeff.

A Memorial Celebration will be held on Useppa during the Christmas holidays.