Barbara E. Megathlin

SCHENECTADY – Beloved wife and Mother, Barbara Elizabeth Megathlin,79, passed away on Saturday, August 12, 2023 succumbing to a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on January 25, 1944 to George and Edith Wemyss. The family spent their early years in Lexington, Massachusetts, and then, moved on to Gorham, Maine where she graduated from high school in 1961. During her years of growing up, the family summered in Fortunes Rocks, Maine for which the family has many fond memories. Bonnie, as she was known, pursued several interests including being a nurse, a model, and a beautician-finally owning her own salon in Biddeford, Maine.

Ultimately she married and had two children Christopher(Glen) Lechman-Parslow in 1966 and Rebecca(Harold) Peragine in 1969. Then for several years she concentrated on all the intricacies of being a house wife and mother to two active children. As the children aged she moved back into the work force working from the formative idea of a Children’s Discovery Museum(now the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine) in Portland, Maine, to helping to create it, and then, becoming its’ very active Executive Director. As Chris and Becky grew older there was a great interest in supporting AFS Intercultural Programs which led to Bonnie’s work with the group in helping both U.S. and foreign students and proudly seeing both Chris(Cyprus) and Becky(Austria) take advantage of the opportunity.

The family moved from Portland, Maine to Burnt Hills, New York in the early 1980’s. Bonnie decided to get her college degree which she did through Empire State College in New York in 1993, and then, went on to get her Master’s Degree from Nova Southeastern University in Florida in 1996. With these degrees in hand she moved on to be a Social Worker at the The Charlton School until 2001.

In 2001 she married her second husband, Keith Megathlin,MD and in 2003 they retired to the milder and warmer weather of Summerfield, Florida, outside of Ocala. They spent the first several years of retirement being very active in their retirement community, traveling and being very active in their church, The First United Church of Tampa(UCC). As the years wore on, Barbara decided to return to work part-time which she did as secretary to the Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality(HOPE). An organization that helps the less fortunate among us.

In 2020 with medical problems becoming more prominent including a significant step up in her Alzheimer’s Disease, the family decided to move back to Schenectady, New York to be near family.

She is survived by her husband Keith, her children Christopher(Glen) Lechman-Parslow and Rebecca(Harold) Peragine; her stepchildren Craig(Joyce) Megathlin, Shawn(Pam) Megathlin and Mark(Clare) Megathlin; her grandchildren Edmond(Ashley) Culhane, Joshua(April) Culhane, Justin(Yazmin) Lechman, Alex Lechman; her great-grandchildren Yariel, Jameson, Lili and Kristoff and her siblings Cynthia(Dean) Rathbun, George(Jody) Wemyss, Howard(Sue) Wemyss and Deborah Wemyss. There were and are too many aunts, uncles and cousins to mention whom she enjoyed tremendously.

A memorial service followed by a reception is scheduled for September 16, 2023 at 2:00pm at the Emmanuel-Friedans Church at 218 Nott Terrace, Schenectady, New York 12307. Relatives and friends are invited. In lieu of flowers would you please consider a donation to the Northeastern New York Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. To leave a message of condolence for the family, please visit www.HansFuneralHome.com .

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