Photography

Barbara Price 1923 – 2021

Timothy Price170 Comments

My mom passed on today. She would have turned 98 in October. I saw her two weeks ago. She was lucid, but her body was failing her and her system was starting to shut down. She entered hospice last week, and she was more comfortable the last few days of her life.

I made the photo of her at her computer ten years ago and put it together with a photo of her when she was 20 years old working in a radio station. In those days most of the music was live, but she could record the performances by cutting records. She had a collection of 78 rpm records that were mostly commercial recordings, but among the collection were several records that she had cut during her years at the radio station. Most of the records she cut were glass platters, but she had some records that were vinyl on aluminum platters.

She had her Ham radio license when she and my dad started dating. My dad was really into radios, especially Ham radios, so while he was working on getting his Ham license he used her call. When they moved to New Mexico in the early 1950s they got consecutive call letters of W5ADX (dad) and W5ADY (mom). Dad was on his radios to the day he died. I don’t remember mom talking on the radios, but she kept her license active while my dad was alive.

I forget what her formal education was, but she was a good typist and worked as a secretary for the elementary school out here in the mid ’60s. Then she worked as a research tech for the Lovelace Foundation doing experiments on smokers, before she went to work for the YWCA in downtown Albuquerque in the late 1960s. She retired from the YWCA in the mid 1980s.

She volunteered at the Corrales Library after she retired. She read all books by all the local authors, and everyone who used the library knew her. She was active in church all her life, also. She took to computers like the radios of her youth, and had email and the web to keep in touch with friends and family.

Sunrise

Sunset

170 thoughts on “Barbara Price 1923 – 2021”

  3. May her blessed soul rest in peace. 🙏 She’s had a beautiful, long life. Must be very hard for you and your family. I wish you strength and good health. Condolences 🙏

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      • Tim, my condolences to you & your family. It sounds as if your Mom lived a good, long life. And she had many interests and talents. My Grandmother was a Ham Operator, too, She was the first woman Ham Operator in Maine from around the 1940, as I remember. My healing thoughts and prayers are with you at the sad time. 🙏💘 Christine

      • Thanks, Christine. I was never interested in Ham radio. I was thinking, however, how my dad would talk to people around the country, and around the world, every morning and every evening on his radios. While I never did the radio, I’m basically doing the same thing blogging. A different time. And different technology.

      • Absolutely, our logging connects us in the same way. My Grandmother, however, had German contacts during the Second World War. She found out if the townsfolk soldier sons were still alive. She took a chance the authorities wouldn’t find out. She was German and at risk of someone hostile to Germans would turn her in as a traitor. Even though she was doing good. Women, like your Mom & my Grandmother were exceptional in their day. 📚🎶 Christine

      • My grandmother on my dad’s side homesteaded as a single woman in Wyoming in the 1920s.

      • Tim, that warrants a story. It’s amazing what women did in their day to survive that never get press! I’ve amplified my Grandmother’s hard life in my book. She was a force to reckon with though. I had my trials with her as her not so favorite granddaughter. 📚🎶 Christine

  6. Sorry to hear Tim, sounds like a wonderful mother. Unfortunately, I know how difficult it is to lose a loved one, but glad you were at least able to see her before her passing. Very nice tribute picture, one to cherish forevermore. With deepest sympathies…

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  8. Our deepest sympathy to you and your family on the loss of your mother, Tim. She was a beautiful, highly intelligent woman and good soul. I do love that photo you made of her at two different points in her life. It is wonderful you had such a long time with her. She picked a beautiful day to leave this life. She will get flowers planted here, your father too.

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  9. Oh Tim, a beautifully poignant tribute celebrating a life well lived. I loved the photo of your mother on her computer and at the radio station, a reminder of all the history she experienced during her lifetime. The call letters of W5ADX and W5ADY are love letters. How wonderful that she read all the books of local authors. You will be in my thoughts and prayers in the days ahead. Don and I send our deepest condolences.

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    • Thanks, Rebecca. As I just commented to Christine, that while I never did radio, blogging is similar. Now that I think about it email replaced the radio for mom.

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  10. Thank you Tim, for sharing some memories of your mother. Sending my condolences to you and your family at this sad time.

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  11. Timothy,my most sincere sympathy to you and your family. I am very sorry for your loss. Your mom was a remarkable woman and how beautiful you wrote about her. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

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  13. My sincere condolences for the loss of your mother. Even though she had reached a blessed age, it is and will always be difficult to cope with this loss.
    Thank you for the beautiful text you wrote here about your mother, it gives us a picture of the person she was.
    Lots of strength in these difficult moments Timothy.

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  15. What a wonderful lady in every way, Timothy, I’m so sorry. You take care, Your mam is always your mam, it doesn’t matter how old you get. That is a lovely photo of her BTW, so young with everything before her. Just think of her on these call letter in the sky x

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  16. So sorry to read this sad and painful news about your mother. She was a wonderful woman and led a pretty full life. The combination of the two photographs is so beautiful.
    My deepest condolences for the loss of your mother. My thoughts are with you and your family.

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  17. I am so sorry Tim. What a beautiful tribute of her life… Her sitting by the computer is so wonderful. I’m happy you saw her just recently. Sending you my deepest sympathies.

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  20. My sincere condolences to you Tim, this is a difficult time to go through, I wish you strength and comfort. Your mother was a great Lady.

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  21. So very sorry for your loss, My Friend! She sounds like an amazing woman and a Mom that will be dearly missed and remembered forever in your hearts!! Treasure your memories and moments with her. Put them down on paper as reminders of what you shared together!
    Wishing you peace and comfort in your time of loss!
    Chuck

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  23. Oh, Tim, I’m so sorry, my dear friend. No words are comforting enough… Beautiful woman and I love that photo you created of her. Sending you and your family my thoughts.

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  24. Words escape me. They often seem empty at times like this anyway. Hoping the best for you and your family. We don’t need nor expect a reaponse.

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  25. I’m very sorry. I will be thinking of you and your family as you mourn a good life, well spent. Your picture shows she was as beautiful as an older lady as she was when young. You clearly inherited some of her passions and qualities.

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  30. I’m so sorry to hear this, Tim. It sounds as though she had a long, full life–and I have no doubt, a loving son–and in the end, that’s about all any of us can hope for. She will live on in your memories and all who knew her. My thoughts are with you and your family.

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  31. Oh no. I am so sorry, Tim. The photo you made of her is absolutely wonderful! Thanks for sharing about her life, she sounds like an intelligent and interesting woman, I can see where you get some of your talents and interests! RIP.

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  36. I’m so sorry. That is a beautiful photo you made. It sounds like she had a nice long life. My sincere condolences to you and your family.

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      • You’re welcome . You will be in my prayers at church along with many others . I just lost my uncle to cancer this past Friday . I am destraught but no where near where my aunt must be or his son, my cousin. My cousin Carl is visiting and I’m so grateful he is with us right now . It’s hard knowing uncle Carl is in heaven and not with us . I’m happy he’s at peace but it’s hard losing such a good person . We all have to be there for each other . Life’s hard enough without trying to take on loss alone . God bless .

      • I’m so sorry to hear your uncle lost his battle. I’ve been through two bouts with cancer. I have lost close friends to cancer, close friends that were been killed while riding their bikes, and one of my uncles was hit by a car last year and killed. Each blow is harder and harder to deal with. You just never know when your time is up. I’ll keep you and your family in my prayers. Bless you Brittny.

      • Thank you Timothy . Much much appreciated. I will do the same for you. I’m so sorry for your losses. It is really crazy how fast people are gone. Bless you too. Be safe

  49. wow Timothy, this is so touching and I LOVE the picture captured so beautifully of a wonderful life. I have tears as I type these word at the admiration and love you have of your mother. She had such a rich and wonderful life and I love that she continued growing and following her heart. You must have gotten your gifts in music from both your mom and your dad. this is such a heartwarming tribute. She was so beautiful and soulful it seems. I’m glad you got to see her when she was lucid and hope that gives you solace as you grieve and celebrate her life. My sincerest sympathy Tim. What beautiful sunrises to send her on for a safe and joyful crossing. All my love and big hugs.
    💖🤗🤗💖

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  50. Tim, I am sorry to read about your Mom’s death. Her faith served her well. She was quite the pioneer on many fronts. I remember her as a “safe haven” in the office at Sandoval Elementary. Would be just like her to write her own obituary, making this task easier for her kids. I trust you find comfort knowing she lived a very long life on her terms and she must have been awfully proud of her family. Thank you for sharing this life milestone with us.

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    • Hi Guy. Thanks for you wonderful comment. How are you doing these days? I think the last time we saw each other was at your mom’s funeral. You remember Joel Lewis? He’s been in town a few times this year dealing with family. He lost his step dad and paternal dad. He was here this past week checking on his mom. We’re all losing our parents.

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      • Of course we remember Joel – I didn’t realize he lost both Dads… Yes, it is a sign of a long life when one says good bye to parents,.. but better than the other way around. I have always admired your many talents – a bit of a renaissance man in my mind. Barbara must have been happy with how you “turned out”. These are times when we have to give thanks for the life we are given and the people we meet. Growing up in Corrales was a gift. Keep doin’ what you’re doing, you bring a lot of light into the world.

      • Thanks, Guy. Joel will be very excited that you commented. He asks about Meredith. Meredith and I keep in touch with her working and APS and ARC consulting for APS. We run into each other at stores every now and then.

  52. Barbara had an amazing life! She was definitely ahead of her time.
    Tim, thank you for sharing these bits about your mom and dad!
    May she Rest In Peace! My heart is with you.

    May I also add how much I like your opening shot, and that she was very beautiful!

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  57. Your tribute is so filled with love and admiration for your lovely mother’s life Timothy. I wrote a similar tribute to my mother if you would like to read on my blog. The photo of your mother’s past and present image is both beautiful and melancholy, as is life🌸

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  59. I am sorry for your loss Tim. Thank you for sharing your memories of her as she sounds like a remarkable woman as is shown in your writing of her. May she Rest In Peace and she will Aways be proud of you…

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  61. Thank you for sharing this with me today, Timothy. I somehow missed this one. I offer my deepest condolences. She sounded like a wonderful woman full of vitality (which she has passed on to her son, I don’t doubt!)
    Hugs from Montreal.

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