Agawam, MA – Elizabeth Farquhar Burke, who lived in the Pioneer Valley for most of her adult life, died peacefully on Wednesday, April 25, 2018.  

Elizabeth is survived by three children: Tony Farquhar (Omolola), Carolyn Farquhar (Marie-Claude) and Donald Farquhar (Christina), and two grandchildren, Aba Farquhar and Sarah-Anne Farquhar.  

Elizabeth Catherine Mary Barlas was born in Ipswich, England on October 30, 1932. Her

father was grievously wounded in war-time France, but later returned to active duty. Elizabeth and her mother moved north to the Scottish Highlands, a setting that fostered an enduring love for nature, for farming, and for animals. 

Elizabeth pursued a career in health care, inspired by her father’s career as a doctor. She started her practical training in physiotherapy at the University of Edinburgh in 1950, went on to help countless injured people regain strength and mobility over the next 50 years, and taught many younger people how to do the same thing.  

Elizabeth married Oswald Farquhar in 1953 and they emigrated from Scotland to the United States that year.  After several years in the Midwest, Elizabeth and Oswald moved to New England. Oswald was busy with his responsibilities at the University of Massachusetts, and Elizabeth focused on their young children. Elizabeth re-entered the work force in 1964, first at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, and later at the Belchertown State School.  

Elizabeth helped start a therapeutic horse-riding program in 1975. Her approach was considered to be very innovative at the time and this type of therapy is now commonplace. Around the same time, she completed a MS Thesis at the University of Massachusetts. 

After a stint working at a hospital in Kingston, Ontario, Elizabeth returned to the Pioneer Valley and taught for more than fifteen years in the Physical Therapy program at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC). Her love of teaching and enjoyment of working with young people were ideally combined.  

Throughout her life, Elizabeth maintained a high level of activity, ranging from horseback riding to travel in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and much of Europe as well as many trips home to Scotland. She enjoyed gardening, hiking, drawing and painting, and served as a guide at the Emily Dickinson Museum. Her friends, on both sides of the Atlantic, were hugely important to her. 

Elizabeth took care of injured birds, enjoyed animal husbandry, was fond of dogs and was a skilled horsewoman. She was always happy to hear her beloved Labrador, Bella, enjoyed her new life with Donald and Chris.  

Elizabeth passed on many gifts of the spirit to her friends and children: she loved riding a horse across a snow-covered field, she enjoyed the steep climb of a hill as well as the view from the top, she had a deep understanding of the mysteries of the human body, and she never lost her visceral love of the Scottish countryside.  Above all, Elizabeth’s life taught her children to value family and friends, to be curious about the world, to make reasoned choices, and to tirelessly seek true fulfillment. 

There will be a celebration of life for Elizabeth in the afternoon of June 10th at the Red Barn at Hampshire College. Please contact CarolynFarquhar8@gmail.com for additional information.