Write a commentBarbara P. Shineman, a 95 year old resident of Fayetteville and formerly Oswego, NY, passed away peacefully following an illness on February 28, 2024.
Barbara grew up in Albion, NY., where she met and married her high school sweetheart, Robert (Bob) Palmer Sr. She and Bob had 2 children, Bob Jr. And Kathy, and while they moved around initially, from Oswego to White Bear Lake, Minnesota to Binghamton, NY, they returned to Oswego to work and raise their family.
Barbaras was a lifelong learner. She received a BS degree in 1965 and a Master’s Degree in Education at the State University of New York at Oswego in her 40s. She received her Doctorate in education at age 50 from Syracuse University. She was a woman small in size, but so big in her life’s passions: teaching elementary education at the SUNY Oswego Campus School, and college students as a professor in education at SUNY Oswego, being an active member of the SUNY Emerita Board, active in PEO, a women’s philanthropic organization, and a member of Faith United Church. As part of her doctoral program, Barbara started the Potential Teachers Program at Syracuse City Schools. She also was the founding member of the Sheldon Institute for Barbara Shineman Scholars. In 1973, she married Richard S. Shineman and together they traveled the globe when not teaching at SUNY Oswego. Together, they enjoyed local concerts, live theater, the Syracuse Symphony, and visiting Richard’s brother and wife, Edward and Doris Shineman, in New York City and Lake Placid. They loved being snowbirds in their home in Naples, Florida.
Barbara is predeceased by her mother, Hazel Irvine, stepmother and father, Bernice and George Irvine, brothers George and Donald Irvine, her first husband Robert Palmer Sr., her son, Robert Palmer Jr., and her son-in-law, Stephen Barker. Cherishing her memory are her family: daughter Kathy Barker, daughter-in-law Floris Palmer Nino (Julio Nin), Granddaughter Megan Luton (Brian Luton) Grandson Kevin Palmer (Jenny Palmer), and great-grandchildren Reed and Willa Luton, and May and Will Palmer. Also, a part of her loving family and close friends were her niece, Connie Ferris, nephew, George Irvine, and great-nephews, Tom Shineman (Jan Shineman) and Alan Shineman (Genny Shineman).
At the request of Richard Shineman, who passed away in 2010, Barbara was the founding member of the Richard S. Shineman Foundation, dedicated to being a catalyst for change in Oswego County. She loved Oswego County and SUNY Oswego. She worked tirelessly to organize and guide the foundation through its beginning. Barbara was a force of nature….a teacher, a mentor of students, and a philanthropist. She loved knitting, was a voracious reader, and loved watching the news. To her loving family, she was Mom, mother-in-law, “Little Grandma”, and aunt, and she will be greatly missed. Her legacy will live on in the foundation she started and in her family who loved her.
Calling hours will be at Nelson Funeral Home, 11 West Albany Street, Oswego, NY 13126 from 3-5:30 PM on Monday, March 4th. Funeral Services will be at 10 am on Tuesday, March 5 at Faith United Church, 12 Mark Fitzgibbons Drive, Oswego. A 2 pm Committal Service will be held at Prospect Hills Cemetery in Canajoharie NY.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Faith United Church or Oswego County Community Foundation. Arrangements are under the caring guidance of Nelson Funeral Home.
