Barbara Gudwin

                                                   Barbara R. Gudwin

It is with great sadness that the family of Barbara announces her passing on March 6th, 2023. Barbara was born July 3rd, 1947 was 75 years old and after a long fight with ALS she passed away in her home surrounded by her family and at peace. Barbara was a beloved wife, mother, friend and advocate.  She grew up in Harrington Park NJ, and went to G.W. for her undergraduate work and Emory University for her masters in Library Science. After working in the CUNY Buffalo Law library for 6 years Barbara made her adventurous move to Santa Fe NM in 1977 following a passion for the outdoors. Soon after she started a job with the Santa Fe Mountain Center working with youth in need. This sparked her passion in the field of working for the benefit of children and youth. Barbara spent the next 40 years dedicated and devoted to that course. When she was elected to the school board her platform was simply “The Children First”. Her resume working for organizations in Santa Fe reads like the true professional she was. Starting from having been the Associate director of the Santa Fe Mountain Center to the Executive Director of the Santa Fe Girls Club, her leadership led to one of the largest after school programs in the area at the time. She was appointed by Mayor Pick to start and chair the City of Santa Fe’s Commission for Children and Youth. She sat on the board of so many great organizations that included; SF County Adolescent Pregnancy Taskforce, Santa Fe Youth Council, Santa Fe Community College Foundation Board, Temple Beth Shalom, Buckaroo Ball Co-Chair, Partners in Education, and Communities in Schools to name a few.  Barbara was either a board member of a chairperson of over 30 community child centric boards or organizations that with her guidance went on to create a better environment for the children in this community. She has been a beacon and guiding light in the community with her patience and calm presence, championing equity for Santa Fe’s youth. She was universally loved and respected by all she worked with and met. When someone uses the term “Friend to All” that was Barbara. She could not pass up an opportunity to stop and speak to anyone that she came in contact with including strangers, and find out how they were doing, what school they were attending or what school their kids were attending, and always genuinely cared about everyone. She had a great love of the outdoors and all that it offered from river rafting, rock climbing, hiking, and camping she wanted to be outside doing. She loved traveling and went to lots of different places around the world with her husband and her children. If you came to her house, you would see the passion, she had for her garden in which spent many hours tending to her plants. She enjoyed cooking and entertaining family and friends with some of the best epic ongoing annual parties. Through all that she raised two wonderful daughters and cherished the time spent with them attending their sporting events and school activities always there to offer support and encouragement. From the college graduations, weddings and the birth of her grandchildren Barbara never left their side and never failed to offer the comfort that only a mother can provide. She loved playing with her grandchildren.

She was proceeded in death by her father Louis Goldberg and her mother Ruthe Goldberg. She is survived by her husband Philip Gudwin of 42 years, her two adoring daughters, Sari Lynch and husband Buddy Lynch, Ariel Gudwin and husband Chris Blakely; as well as her two beautiful grandchildren Louis “Lincoln” Lynch and Guinevere “Juliet” Lynch, and brother and sister-in-law Michael and Anne Goldberg.

A service for family and friends will be held at Temple Beth Shalom 205 E Barcelona Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87505 to celebrate Barbara’s life at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your choice of charity that works with children and youth. Barbara will be forever remembered and missed by all who knew and loved her.