Barbara S. Fornshell, 92, of Ridgefield, and a longtime resident of Danbury, died peacefully at her home on Saturday, April 16, 2022, surrounded by her family. She was the loving wife of the late Robert P. Fornshell, MD, who only recently had predeceased her after nearly 68 years of marriage. Mrs. Fornshell was born in Los Angeles, California on April 7, 1930, the daughter of the late Dorothy Schuck and Robert Dennison Salinger. Raised in Newton Center, Massachusetts, she was a graduate of Newton Center High School, and Smith College, Class of ’51, where she majored in English.
Mrs. Fornshell is survived by her three sons: William Fornshell and his wife, Mary Jo; Robert Fornshell and his wife, Antoinette; and James Fornshell; and by her five grandchildren: Meghan, Matthew, Mary Kate, Emily, and Robert; as well as a sister-in-law, Georgia Schultz; and several nieces and nephews.
Moving to Danbury in 1959, when her late husband commenced his practice in orthopedics, Mrs. Fornshell was active in community affairs throughout her life, joining the Danbury Junior Service League in the 1960s, and participating in numerous fundraising programs often associated with Danbury Hospital. A lifelong bridge player, she enjoyed tennis, golf and skiing, and traveled widely with her late husband. Gifted musically and a skilled piano player, Mrs. Fornshell was a popular presence at family gatherings and social events over the years. She also enjoyed playing in church bell choirs, originally with the First Congregational Church in Danbury, and later with Christ Church on Quaker Hill, in Pawling, New York.
Family and friends will be received on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Kane Funeral Home; 25 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield. Interment will take place privately. Contributions in Mrs. Fornshell’s memory may be made to Danbury Hospital Nuvance Health, https://www.nuvancehealth.org/giving/support-danbury-hospital RVNA Health, https://rvnahealth.org/donate/ or to Smith College, https://www.smith.edu/about-smith/giving
