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Barbara M. French of Manhattan and Sagaponack died on May 14 at her Manhattan home. She was 97.
The daughter of Herbert F. and Dorothy Constable Schwarz, she was a granddaughter of F.A.O. Schwarz, who founded the toy store of that name.
A graduate of The Brearley School in Manhattan and Vassar College, she received a master’s degree from Columbia University. She was active in many volunteer organizations in New York and served as a trustee of The Brearley School from 1958 to 1961. She was a member of the Bridgehampton Club and of the Cosmopolitan Club in Manhattan, where she served as a governor from 1969 to 1972.
She began spending summers in Sagaponack with her husband and children at the end of World War II. After staying for a number of summers at the Sea Breeze Farm boarding house on Sagg Main Street (then run by the Szczepankowski family), the family rented in Sagaponack for several more summers before buying in 1956 the residence on Gibson Lane where she spent summers until her death. Her enthusiasm for the East End encouraged many members of her family to acquire homes in the area, and she delighted in being surrounded by generations of her family summer after summer.
Inspired by her love of nature and Sagaponack, she was a charter member of the Group for the South Fork (now the Group for the East End), serving the Group as a director from 1972 to 1988, as chairman of the board from 1987 to 1988, and for 20 years thereafter as a member of its Advisory Committee. Trying to preserve much of what was unique about the East End of Long Island, she was, into her 90s, an inveterate letter writer and meeting attendee.
Beloved by her family, survivors said, she will be missed by all who knew her.
She is survived by a son, John R. French and his wife Leigh C. French of Connecticut and Sagaponack; a daughter, Carey F. Millard and her husband John A. Millard of Bridgehampton and Manhattan; a sister, Dorothy S. Hines of Vermont and Water Mill; six grandchildren, Hilary F. Louchheim, James Alexander French, Ashley F. Weymouth, John Alden Millard Jr., James G. Millard and Alexander F. Millard; eight great-grandchildren; a step-grandchild, Jennifer Q. Deinard, and two step-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband of 56 years, James H. French, who died in 1995, she was predeceased by a brother, Alan C. Schwarz, and two sisters, Marjorie Schwarz and Eleanor S. Stock.
Pursuant to Mrs. French’s wishes, no services are planned. A private family remembrance will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Group for the East End, P.O. Box 569, Bridgehampton, New York 11932 would be appreciated by the family.
on May 19, 2010