Barbara (Hansl) Griggs

SALISBURY — Barbara (Hansl) Griggs, 94, died at Noble Horizons on May 5, 2011. She was born Feb. 21, 1917, in New York City to lawyer Raleigh Hansl and early feminist and journalist Eva vom Baur Hansl, who founded the first women’s page in a New York City newspaper. Barbara was educated at Rosemary Hall and Sarah Lawrence College, where she majored in music and theater. As a singing student, she met John van Benschoten Griggs, a Yale Glee Club tenor. They sang duets together at their wedding in 1939. “Van” was a language teacher primarily at Hotchkiss and Yale, but finally at the Thacher School in Ojai, Calif., which became their home and where they raised two children. The family summered on Mount Riga as earlier generations of Griggs had done since 1902. Barbara was widowed in 1954. She moved to New York City where she worked for the American Field Service, the Metropolitan Opera Guild and became the editorial assistant to Devin Garrity of Devin Adair Publishers. Barbara, a lifetime summer resident of Mount Riga, moved to Salisbury permanently in 2001 when she came to Noble Horizons. She was an outstanding bridge player and made a career of friendship. She is survived by her daughter, Leigh Curran of Los Angeles, Calif.; her son, Stephen van Benschoten Griggs of Randolph, N.J.; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. At a date to be determined, there will be a private graveside celebration on Mount Riga of a life lived with humor, courage, curiosity and a genuine interest in humankind. Her name was Barbara Griggs and she approved of (and edited) this message. Those who wish to honor her memory can make a donation to the Virginia Avenue Project at www.virginiaavenueproject.org and/or the Yale Alumni Service Corps at www.yaleservicetours.org. The Kenny Funeral Home in Sharon has charge of arrangements.