Barbara P Racansky

Barbara Phillips Racansky, 86, of Ashford, passed away at sunset on Monday, June 23, 2014 at her home with family at her side. She was born on March 15, 1928 in Ashford, the daughter of the late Joseph W. Phillips and Mary (Baca) Phillips. She was the niece of the late Anna and Barbara Baca who were lifelong residents of Ashford. She was predeceased by her beloved sister, Theresa Phillips Lunt. She is survived by her dear nephew and niece Stephen Lunt and Kathryn Lunt Mejia and her great nephew Zack Czerniawski. She also leaves a dear adopted nephew Stanley Czerniawski Jr. Barbara received her bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut in 1952 and her master's degree in social work from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Her lifelong career in social work started in a state of Connecticut child welfare program in Norwich in 1954, followed by her move to California where she worked for social programs in Ventura, CA. She returned to CT in 1965 as a social work supervisor in a special welfare program in New Haven. From there she went to the State Department of Mental Health and was Psychiatric Social Work Supervisor at CT Valley Hospital and Norwich Hospital where she became the Chief Psychiatric Social Worker. In 1978 she became the Director of Psychiatric Social Work in the office of the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health for the state of Connecticut. Early in her retirement in 1984 Barbara volunteered for Meals on Wheels and Literacy Volunteers. She was a member of the Ashford Senior Citizens organization. Her cremated remains will be buried in Norwich next to those of her beloved sister, Theresa. There will be no memorial service but Barbara wanted this anonymous poem printed in her obituary. "When the sun is setting, and your thoughts from care are free, when of others you are thinking, won't you sometimes think of me." In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the CT Humane Society. Arrangements were through the Potter Funeral Home, Willimantic. Please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com for online memorial guest book.