Obituary of Lesley Barfoot

Lesley Barfoot of Horseheads, NY died peacefully on Friday morning October 21, 2022. A resident of Horseheads for almost 40 years, Lesley was born in East Aurora, NY on March 3, 1918. She was the daughter of Robert T and Marie (Gordon) Quick and was predeceased by sisters Jeanne Symonds and Anne Alvord and by brother Gordon Quick. Lesley graduated from East Syracuse High School in 1936 and Syracuse City Normal School in 1938. She began her teaching career in a one room school in Caughdenoy, NY. In 1941, Lesley was married to Earl Barfoot in Syracuse, NY. They were married for 68 years until Earl's death in 2009. Together they raised a large family and shared Earl's ministry. They co-wrote United Methodist Sunday School curriculum and co-led Marriage Enrichment workshops and many other workshops, in particular during the years Earl served as Executive Director of Watson Homestead in Painted Post from 1960-1963. In 1966, after the family was grown, Lesley earned her Bachelor's Degree from Syracuse University and returned to full time teaching in North Syracuse, Glenview, IL and Nashville, TN retiring in 1983 as Nashville Teacher of the Year. Following her retirement and move to Horseheads, Lesley took great delight in volunteering at Center Street Elementary School. She continued to volunteer there well into her 90s. Lesley was an active member of First United Methodist Church of Horseheads. A poet, an educator and a lover of life, Lesley was a collector of things and people. She welcomed strangers into her home and life and they quickly became family. No matter what the problem, she was always able to believe there was a solution. And she often had the solution tucked away in one of the many drawers of magic in her garage. Lesley is survived by sons James (Nancy Nicholson) of Providence, RI, and Paul of Syracuse; daughters Janice (Samuel) Stradling of Hamilton, Beatrice (Charles) Legere of Glenmont and Jean Fuller of Fairport; 11 grandchildren; as well as great grandchildren; great great grandchildren; nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews and by Gerrit (Mei Chin) van der Wees of Silver Spring, MD, an exchange student who became like a son. She was predeceased by a foster daughter, Esther Pearsall. A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church 1034 W Broad St, Horseheads, NY 14845 on Saturday November 19, 2022 at 11:00 am; the Rev. Dr. Jeff McDowell will officiate and David Peckham will provide music. The service will also be live-streamed. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First United Methodist Church, 1034 W Broad St, Horseheads, NY 14845 or Center Street Elementary School, 812 Center Street, Horseheads, NY 14845. Checks made payable to CSPTO.