Barbara L. Riesenfeld

Barbara Lindsay Riesenfeld—lover of horses, the ocean, rivers, lakes, pools, boats, books, vanilla ice cream, yellow cake, white icing with pink and blue (but not yellow) flowers, Bach, Janis Joplin, the Beatles, the Blues, folk, rock, myriad cats, New York City, hand-me-down flannel shirts, her friends, and her family—died at home on Monday, June 30, 2025 surrounded by the love of family, her cat Zoey, and the incredible nurses who cared for her over the final months of her life.

Barbara was born in Monaca, PA to Charlotte and C. Stuart Lindsay on August 10, 1941, and attended Wooster College in Ohio, where she wrote her senior thesis on the women of Hemingway’s novels. She received her Master’s degree in Library Science from Case Western Reserve. In 1964, she met Jim Riesenfeld, a New Yorker who introduced her to bagels, Chinese food, and unflinching candor.

When Barbara retired in 2010, she concluded 20 years as the director of the North County Branch Library in NJ. She was a conscientious and dedicated librarian, but on a gorgeous sunny day, all she really wanted was to be outside, preferably on horseback.

Barbara is survived by her daughter Susan Driscoll, Susan’s husband Michael and their children Emma, Connor, and Molly; her daughter Anne Riesenfeld, Anne’s husband Jesse Flack and their children Julian and Lucas; her sister Maggie Schilke and Maggie’s children Toby and Gillian; Jim Riesenfeld and his wife Kassie Schwin; Zoey; and her many beloved friends from college, her horsey days, years in NJ, and from RiverMead retirement community in Peterborough, NH. She is predeceased by the love of her life, her horse Harry, whose passion, like Barbara’s, was galloping full speed across the countryside.

A memorial service will be held in the fall; details will be updated on this website.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Barbara’s name to Mylestone Equine Rescue, where Barbara volunteered for many years.