Barbara A. Damon

Hollis, NH ~ Barbara A "Barb" (Finkelstein) Damon, 62, passed away at home Monday July 27, 2009 surrounded by her loving Great Danes, husband and family. Barb succumbed to complications following a long illness. Born in Brooklyn NY July 3, 1947 to David S. and Iona (Sabol) Finkelstein, Barb grew up in Great Barrington, MA graduating from UMASS Amherst in 1969. Barb resided in the Hollis/Nashua area following her marriage to Ernest Damon in 1970. She was a cornerstone of the social sciences education movement teaching Psychology, Sociology and other courses during her 30-years at Merrimack High School. She developed a self-contained program (FOCUS) for at-risk students. Never content with a strictly classroom career, Barb was advisor to numerous classes, took a fledgling squad to the state cheerleading championship and was always a core participant in extracurricular activities. When she encountered a frustrated disgruntled group of skateboarders, she mentored them resulting in their successful planning and development of Merrimack's Skate Park. She was enrolled in the Merrimack Hall of Fame in recognition of her accomplishments. Barb's quest for knowledge, understanding and experience carried her through Master's Degrees in Psychology, Counseling and Education that she parleyed into a second career as a therapist. She was a key contributor to the Rivier College Challenge Program for gifted students. In addition to surrounding herself with the horses, cats, dogs and birds she loved, Barb was an early pioneer in training therapy animals. She developed a program where a very special Great Dane named Carly worked with both disabled and challenged MHS students as well as with gifted Challenge Program participants. She had articles published in Bird Talk and wrote the For Pets Sake column in the Hollis Times. Predeceased by her parents, Barb is survived by her husband Ernest of Hollis and a brother Richard Finkelstein of Nashua. No services are planned but friends, coworkers, former students and others her life touched are invited to share memories at the family home 11 Fieldstone Drive, Hollis NH 03049 Friday July 31 from 2 until 7 PM. Those who wish are encouraged to make a contribution in Barb's name to either the Nashua Humane Society or to the national Humane Society.