Barbara T. Ring

Barbara T. (Duggan) Ring, 93, of Meredith, NH, passed away peacefully on December 1st, 2023, with her family by her side. Loving wife of the late Gardner M. Ring and daughter of the late Joseph Thomas and Edith E. Spencer (Keizer) Duggan.
Barbara grew up in Worcester, MA and later resided in Sudbury, Hudson, and W. Dennis MA, along with Meredith. Her Meredith home was originally bought as a family summer house and rental in 1966. She moved here with her spouse in 1980 and worked for Annalee’ Dolls, choosing a job that matched her crafting hobbies. She later moved back to MA in 1982, keeping the house for her summer residence. In 2005 she returned to town full time and volunteered with the Senior Club at Meredith Community Center taking an integral part in making the ‘hands’ quilt that hangs at the center. She worked diligently to make many baby quilts with the group to donate and later knit with the Hooks and Needles group, making (literally) hundreds of hats, scarfs and mittens for children, veterans, homeless, and other folks.
Volunteering was not new to Barbara she was featured in a photo shoot pinning the first red poppy on the Mayor of Worcester when she was a teen with the American Legion Auxiliary. In Sudbury, she worked with the Methodist Church office, taught Sunday School, and was an active member with the Women’s Circle. She also led a Girl Scout troop in town for 4 years. When she relocated to Hudson, MA she taught young attendees how to sew and make their own ‘Beanie Babies’ and other stuffies to teach girls and boys to love sewing. On the Cape she joined the Senior Club where she took computer classes and gave back to the community through a number of projects.
Wherever they lived Barbara and her spouse would go square dancing. This was their favorite date-night-out, kept them active, and a lot of fun. When her husband was no longer able to dance with her, she took up line dancing at the community center. She loved music, playing the piano first and moving on to an accordion and later the organ. Her husband loved to listen to her play. She was an avid sewer, having made her own bridal gown and that of each of daughters, and help to make alterations to her granddaughter’s gown as well. She taught many the skills of sewing, using clothing, toys, tote / handbags, quilts and more as tools to explore and learn more skills.
Barbara is survived by her children, daughter Diane G. (Ring) Sollazzo and husband Joseph of St. Hubert, Quebec, Son G. Irving “Butch” Ring of Rochester, NH, and daughter Crystal A. (Ring) Frederick and husband Glenn of Epping, NH. Grandchildren Karen, Peter, Mark and Rhoda Sollazzo, Joshua and JaymieAnne Frederick and Jocelyn Cahill. Great-grandchild Todd Cahill. Barbara also leaves behind a brother Robert F. Duggan of Palm Harbor, Florida. She is predeceased by a brother Joseph T. Duggan and a sister Julia A. (Duggan) Plikunas.
A funeral service will be held Wednesday, December 6th at 10am at the Mayhew Funeral Home, 204 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith, NH. Burial will take place at Meredith Village Cemetery in the spring.
In Lieu of flowers donations are requested to the Alzheimer’s Association of New England which was an organization close to Barbara’s heart.