Barbara Maria Wood Medland, 90
Barbara Maria Wood Medland passed away peacefully at her home in Polson with family by her side at age 90 on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020.
Barbara was born Sept. 7, 1930, to Raymond and Ella Wood in Brooklyn, N.Y. She and her five sisters grew up in Honesdale, Pa., where she graduated from Honesdale High School in 1948. She then went on to graduate from Frankford School of Nursing in Philadelphia in 1951. She started her RN career at a hospital in Pawtucket, R.I., and then in 1953 moved back to Honesdale and worked at Wayne County Memorial Hospital with her sister Lorna until she married Harry P. Medland, Jr. on April 28, 1956 in Honesdale.
Barbara and Harry moved around from Louisiana to Tennessee to Kentucky to Ohio to New Mexico and to Colorado for Harry’s surveying career. The family settled in 1964 in Polson, where Barbara worked as Dr. Tom O’Halloran’s nurse for approximately 20 years. Barbara and Harry built their retirement home on Flathead Lake in 1981, and many great memories were made there with family and friends.
Barbara was a longtime member of Beta Sigma Phi and the Montecahto Club in Polson. She was a lifetime member of the United Methodist Church. She dedicated many hours to planning and preparing the annual smorgasbord dinner and annual holiday bazaar fundraisers, as well as many other functions for the United Methodist Women in Polson. She was also a leader for Campfire Girls while Cindy and Jenny were growing up. Barbara enjoyed watching her grandkids’ sporting events, cooking and hosting many family gatherings. She also enjoyed traveling with her family and attending high school reunions in Honesdale while visiting family and old friends.
Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, parents, a toddler brother, Leslie Wood, her sisters Muriel Osborn, Lorna Decker, Shirley Moss and Betty Chippie.
Barbara is survived by her sister, Patricia, and her husband Don Avery of Pennsylvania; her children, Cindy and her husband Tracy Dooley, Jenny and her husband Tim Swant, and Mike and his wife Theresa Medland; former daughter-in-law Heidi Medland; her grandchildren, Abbi, Jeff, Harry, Shawn and his wife Jaime, Tyler and his wife Rikki, Shelby and her husband Brett and Katharina and her husband Dylan; great-grandchildren Walker, Payton, Savannah, Colbie, Gracie, Klayre, Kathryn, Sawyer and two more arriving in 2021, as well as many nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held at Lake View Cemetery on Saturday Dec. 12, 2020 at noon for family and close friends. A memorial service will be planned for next summer. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.lakefuneralhomeandcremation.com.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials to the Polson United Methodist Church or the United Methodist Women at 301 16th Ave. E., Polson, MT 59860.
Arrangements are under the care of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.
