Lebanon, NH – Barbara H. Brown, 96, passed away peacefully at The Woodlands in Lebanon, NH, on October 17, 2026, just one week after celebrating her milestone 96th birthday.
Barbara was born on October 10, 1930, in Haverhill, MA, the daughter of Sarah (Axelrod) and Joseph Halpern. She grew up in Haverhill and went on to graduate from the Chelsea Memorial Nursing School. She began her lifelong career in healthcare at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, where she met her future husband, Channing. The couple married in 1954, prompting Barbara’s move to Lebanon, where they built a life together and raised their two daughters.
Ensuring her children received a Jewish upbringing was of paramount importance to Barbara. This was a challenge because very few Jewish families lived in Lebanon. When her oldest daughter turned four, Barbara hosted a Chanukah party and invited the Valley News to photograph the celebration. The resulting front-page photo and accompanying article about the holiday marked the beginning of her pioneering efforts to build a local Jewish community. Barbara became an essential force in establishing the Upper Valley Hebrew School, and in 2014, her decades of devotion were formally honored when she received the Jewish Federation of New Hampshire’s Shem Tov Award for her outstanding volunteer work.
Barbara’s professional life was defined by empathy and advocacy. In her early years in the Upper Valley, she worked at Dartmouth College’s student health service. In 1969, she joined Planned Parenthood, beginning a multi-decade journey with the organization. She started as a board member, transitioned into a volunteer nurse, and ultimately completed advanced training to become a certified family planning nurse practitioner. Her profound love for her work left an indelible mark; for years afterward, former patients would warmly stop her around town to thank her for her immense kindness.
Her commitment to service extended deeply into local healthcare. In 1978, Barbara joined Alice Peck Day (APD) Memorial Hospital as a dedicated volunteer and active member of the APD Auxiliary. Driven by her love for the patients and staff, she founded the hospital’s gift shop and managed it for over twenty years. In gratitude for her enduring contributions, a tree was planted on the hospital grounds with a plaque honoring her name.
Barbara’s generosity knew no bounds. She regularly gave her time to the Red Cross Bloodmobile, the Girl Scouts, LISTEN Community Services, and the Grafton County Senior Citizens Council. In recognition of her service, she was named the Grafton County Volunteer of the Year in 1984.
Barbara is survived by her daughters, Leslie Brown and Judy (James) Greenblatt; grandchildren, Nathan (Annabel) Wainwright and Julia Greenblatt; and great-grandchild, Foster Wainwright.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Channing T. Brown.
A private burial service will be held at the Upper Valley Jewish Community Cemetery in Lebanon, NH.
To leave a message of remembrance or condolence, please visit the online guestbook at www.rickerfuneralhome.com.
Click here to sign the guest book or honor their memory with flowers, donations, or other heartfelt tributes