“There is no force equal to a woman determined to rise.” – W.E.B. Du Bois

It is no lie that Barbara, “Bobbi”, Mitchell was a proud and determined woman.  On Friday, August 27, 2021 Barbara’s strength was called to Heaven.  She was able to pass away peacefully on the farm surrounded by the souls of the living and guided by the souls of the passed. 

Bobbi was born on the chilly day of January 4^th, 1942 as a 4^th generation farmer.  As a child, Bobbi spent her days learning – whether it was in traditional school or on the farm she was always searching to expand her knowledge.  Her free time was occupied with practicing the accordion and riding horses.  Through her dedication to music, she earned a spot on the Pizzitola Orchestra, which provided her the opportunity to travel the country to perform.  Aside from her schooling, farm, and musical responsibilities, she was also an active member of 4-H.  Her love for horses started with her riding the family’s working draft horses.  Eventually she met her heart horse Christi.  Bobbi’s happy place was on the back of Christi, exploring all the trails of Poverty Mountain.  It didn’t matter to her if other neighborhood kids were available, if she had the time, she was riding those trails. 

Bobbi was a fiercely independent woman who didn’t let another’s expectations stand in her way.  She attended the University of Massachusetts and graduated with a Batchelor of Science, Medical Technician in 1963 – a time when only 6% of woman would attend higher education.  She was the first of her immediate family to achieve such an honor.  A simple farmer, turned formally educated.  She eventually secured a position with the University’s Animal Disease Control Department and ran the Mastitis Lab.  While Bobbi was in charge of the lab, she continued to bridge the gap between the farmers and scientists to expanded their lab services to include testing for brucellosis and pullorum in poultry.

In the 1970’s the farm turned from a traditional crop-based farm to a dairy replacement farm for Registered Holsteins.  Bobbi took the steering wheel as her parents aged.  Unbeknownst to her at the time, Bobbi played an important role to her two nieces.  In a male-dominated industry, Bobbi showed them it didn’t matter what gender you were, what was important was getting the job done.  She wouldn’t take flack from a person or a 2000-pound animal.  She donated any extra time to associations such as: the Massachusetts Quarter Horse Association, the New England Quarter Horse Association, the Hampshire County Farm Bureau, the Massachusetts Farm Bureau, the Amherst Agricultural Commission, the Amherst Conservation Committee, and Amherst Town Meeting. 

The hardest storm Bobbi encountered was in 2000, Bobbi’s physical health started to decline.  She suffered a stroke one afternoon in the barn.  Bobbi being the independent woman she was, didn’t know what happened but figured something wasn’t right.  Instead of telling anyone what was going on, she hopped into her truck and drove herself to the hospital.  It wasn’t until after being diagnosed, and the doctors telling her she shouldn’t plan on driving herself home, she finally informed the family.  That same year she was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.  Bobbi fought hard to maintain her independence throughout the devasting, lasting effects of the stroke and progression of the Parkinson’s.  Despite her body failing her, her brain continued to thrive for knowledge.            

Ignoring her physical restrictions, Bobbi still had the desire and ambition to hop on her Massey Fergusson 135 and tedder the hay field.  Fortunately for everyone around, she compromised and hop into a side-by-side, where she would be chauffeured around to monitor all the farm work going on – instead of attempting to do it on her own.  Even though she wasn’t on Christi, being on those trails breathing in the air put her right back to her rides.  She loved having her “helpers” come in and chat about sports, current events, farming, the Million Dollar Man, Big Valley, or even help them by tutoring micro-biology, anatomy and physiology, or any other science-based class.  She’d get pretty competitive with her great nephew playing kitchen basketball or making towers on the kitchen table to see who could get it the highest.  She was and always will be a force to be reckoned with.       

A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2022 10:00 AM at St. Brigid’s Parish (Amherst), followed by burial at St. Brigid’s Cemetery (Hadley), and wrapping up with a Celebration of Life at the Family Farm (Amherst). Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com