Barbara Rau

GUILDERLAND – Barbara Jae Rau, died November 14, 2006 at the age of 89. Born in Brooklyn with deep roots in Flatbush, NY and Boston, she moved to the Albany area in 1947. After receiving her B.S. from Simmons College in Boston, Mrs. Rau took graduate courses at Columbia University in New York City. She relished her more than forty years in libraries of all sorts and sizes. Locally, she is best remembered as Director of the Bethlehem Public Library. She loved people and encouraged reading for all ages. When you visited her home for the first time, you were likely to leave with the gift of a book. For over 55 years, Mrs. Rau has been a member of Hamilton Union Presbyterian Church. She was active in the League of Women's Voters, the old Guilderland League of Arts, Pine Hills Fortnightly Club, the International Women's Group, Veggie Bridge and several service organizations relating to state libraries. Mrs. Rau deeply loved her family. She is preceded in death by her husband, Raymond W. Rau and her sister, Margery Hay. She will be deeply missed by her daughters, Susan Tome and her husband James and their son, Jeremy, and Renee (Rae) and her husband, Frederick Sirois and their son, Victor, as well as her sister's husband, William Hay, her in-laws Everett and Margaret Rau and many nieces and nephews from the extended family. The apple trees she planted for her grandchildren to climb are still growing. She could never get enough light in her home, nor a great enough variety of good books.
Relatives and friends are invited and may call on Saturday from 10:00 to 1:00 at New Comer-Cannon Family Funeral Home, 343 New Karner Rd., Colonie (Rt. 155-south of Central Ave). A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. at the Hamilton Union Presbyterian Church in Guilderland, all are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mrs. Rau's memory may be made to Community Hospice of Albany, 445 New Karner Rd., Albany, NY 12205 or to a charitable organization of one's choice. Expressions of sympathy may be made at newcomerfamily.com