Obituary of Barabara Wolfe

Barbara V. Wolfe Canandaigua- Barbara Wolfe passed away peacefully at Hospeace in Naples on September 14. "Barb" was beloved in the Canandaigua community for her generous friendship and decades of service through the First United Methodist Church of Canandaigua, Canandaigua Clergy Association, FF Thompson Hospital Chaplain Volunteers, and Canandaigua Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs. Barb was born in Sayre, PA, to the Rev. Dr. Ellroy and Harriet Van Dyke. She graduated from Penn Yan Academy and Hougton College, where she majored in music education. She did graduate work at Ithaca College and then served as pastoral assistant in the Bath United Methodist Church. She married the Rev. John Wolfe, her spouse of 51 years; together, they served 9 United Methodist churches throughout Central New York. She taught music or served as a substitute teacher in each community in which they lived and directed the choir at the United Methodist Church of Geneva. She held Conference and District offices in the United Methodist Church and in the United Methodist Women. She retired to Canandaigua, where she served as Director of Christian Education and, later, Pastoral Assistant at the First UMC of Canandaigua and then, in 1997, became Pastoral Assistant Emeritus. She also served as a volunteer at Sonnenberg Gardens and as a Chaplain Volunteer at Ontario County Health Facility, where she offered memorial services and monthly worship services for patients. The Canandaigua community deeply appreciates the over 400 memorial services she conducted for those with no faith community, as well as many eulogies for friends. She received the Business and Professional Women’s Club and Chamber of Commerce award for Volunteer Service, the Salvation Army Community Service Award, the Ontario-Yates County Office of Aging Senior Citizen Award, and was named Canandaigua Kiwanian of the Year, Rotary Volunteer of the Year, and a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. She was predeceased by her parents, husband John, infant daughter Barbara Elaine, and brothers Robert Van Dyke and E. Boyd Van Dyke and is survived by her sons J. James Wolfe (Patricia) of Canandaigua and Thomas V, Wolfe (Marilyn) of Denver; her sister Helen Westover and two sisters-in-law Edith Van Dyke and Dorothy Van Dyke; 5 grandchildren; and 8 great grandchildren. Friends may call from 2-5 PM on Saturday, October 5, at the First United Methodist Church of Canandaigua; a memorial service will follow on Sunday, October 6, at 2 PM—also at the Canandaigua United Methodist Church. Arrangements are under the care of Fuller Funeral Home, Inc. Donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Canandaigua, Ontario-Yates Hospice, and FF Thompson Hospital. To share a memory or express condolences online please visit www.fullerfh.com