Barbara Anne Danielson

On November 4th, just a few days short of her 82nd birthday, Barbara Anne Danielson peacefully passed and left us. It was not COVID related.

Born and raised in Essex County New Jersey, Barbara was a true "Jersey Girl". A proud Girl Scout, Barbara Eckert was a 1956 graduate of East Orange High. After school, she enjoyed a brief, personally satisfying career as a Draftsman/Illustrator with Ivers-Lee, Newark. A very untraditional position for women of the era, it was here where she met her husband, Arnie. They were married in 1966 and as the family grew, it moved from East Orange to Succasunna/Roxbury Twp. She called the house on Eyland Ave. home up to three years ago, when she moved it to North East Ohio, to get to spend time with her younger grandchildren.

Artistically talented, Barbara could easily prepare a technically accurate renderings, a fine art portrait or cartoon sketch with great ease. Many of life's events were marked by hand crafted pop up cards & "Swedish hearts". Her talents & skills were known in the community and she enjoyed the challenge and took great pride in preparing special requests; displays for VBS, life size coffins for haunted houses and custom illustration/placemats for special events.

Nocturnal by nature, family often woke to trays of cookies and highly decorated cupcakes that magically appeared overnight ready for school, scout or church events. More than once, daylight also showed a tablecloth was reborn as a costume or some other craft.

In addition to being mom to four very different & "interesting" children, there were two other creations that brought her much joy. One was the formation of the "Danielson Family Clowns" troop, a group of family members and friends that for the most part volunteered & performed at local events. Her own "Recycle the Clown" was a regular at many Olde Succasunny Days Street Fairs. She was still performing up to three years ago and lectured on clowning traditions after the move to Ohio.

The second was seeing that the "Spider on Eyland Ave" kept up appearances, having new decorations for events & holidays. She would be the first to explain "the spider just moved in on the porch one night" and she only helped it by keeping it decorated. "Spider" was a large, out-door year round display on a very busy corner in Roxbury that brought joy to many who saw it over the years.

Preceded in death by husband; Arnold, parents; Lucile & Robert and sister, Phyllis. Left behind to keep the memories, stories and traditions alive (and shared with great grandson, Eli), are children; Erik, Eileen (Brian) Vandersall, Carol Anne (Bill) Thall-Irish, Donna (Jamie) Donaldson. Grandchildren; Wynter, Kyle & Hunter Vandersall; Raymond, William & Gabrielle Thall; Morgan & Andrew Donaldson. Sisters; Marylou, Suzanne & Lucile; her large extended family at First Presbyterian Church of Succasunna, the Red Hat Ladies, David Lohrey, and new friends made in the Mulberry Gardens & Hudson Danberry communities.

Thank you to Dr. Ahmed Itrat, Dr. "V" - Henry Vucetic, and Akron General Lymphedema teams for LISTENING and providing a quality of life she never expected to be able to see again.

An extra special thank you to her biographers, Molly, Kaylee, Donovin & Alaina, for capturing in her own words, the stories, photos & family history she found important to share. Your book will be treasured and shared with family & friends.

Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Life event to take place in Roxbury, is being planned for when we all can safe travel & gather.