Helene Barnes, Jan. 9, 1931- Feb. 1, 2022, Stanford California, passed away peacefully in her sleep in Boston where she had been living since Oct. 2021. She and her husband, Arthur Barnes having been coming to Boothbay for the past 60 years, spending their summers in their cottage on Juniper Point. A prolific writer, Helene was the consummate “storyteller” entertaining her family and the public with zany stories of her life—all of them humorous, and all of them true! She spent many years writing the weekly newsletter for the Juniper Point Village Improvement Society and even had one of her stories published in Down East magazine. She was an excellent cook, an expert bridge player, a loyal friend and had a gift for making people feel welcome and appreciated.

Born in Philadelphia, she moved to Cleveland, Ohio at the age of 9. As a high school student at Cleveland Heights High, Helene played French horn in the Cleveland Women’s Symphony. Winning a full-scholarship, she attended Wichita State University, graduating as a music major.

She was the beloved wife Dr. Arthur P. Barnes of 67 years and loving mother of three surviving children: Jennifer Wolfeld (Jeff), Holly Barnes (Richard) and Jeff Barnes. She is further survived by five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

With her husband Art and their three children, she lived on the Stanford University campus for 58 years, playing in a variety of Stanford University music ensembles, community orchestras, and teaching scores of French horn students up and down the peninsula.

Her students and her children will always remember the warmth, encouragement, steadfast support she gave to their musical development. Helene instilled in her children, her grandchildren and her horn students an appreciation of what it means to be a true musician: to contribute their best to the ensemble, and to be generous with their talent.

A memorial service is planned for Sunday, July 3 at 4 p.m. at the JPVIS Community House, McKown Point Road, West Boothbay Harbor.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Keepers of Burnt Island Light, P.O. Box 738, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.