Barbara A. Gysan, 88 and Richard L. Gysan Sr., 92

Barbara A. Gysan, 88

MOULTONBOROUGH — Barbara Ann Gysan, May 12, 1925-July 4, 2014, was a magnificent mother, friend and wife.

Born in the Roaring '20s in Massachusetts, Barbie lived life to its fullest. She loved riding horses, won a scholarship to the Boston Museum of Fine Art and created beauty where ever she went.

On Feb. 25, 1943, she married her soulmate Richard Gysan Sr., the love of her life for 74 years. Together they raised three children and created a fantastic life.

Barb was full of grace, compassion and fun. She was one of the kindest creatures on earth, always finding the positive in others and lovingly empowering them. As a mother, she was full of adventure and always ready and willing for a new experience. Yet, she understood contentment and would always find the joy in the simplest of tasks. She was a model mother: a great nurturer who took care of our every need. She taught us to be noble, conscious of others' feelings and to graciously extend ourselves to others.

Barbie was committed to beauty. As a talented designer, her home was magnificent. Every room was decorated beautifully and comfortably. Mostly, she loved her gardens. In the warm weather, she would spend many hours each day manicuring them to perfection. She enjoyed slogging the huge bags of dirt, fertilizer, wheelbarrows full of rocks and weeds herself. She taught us how to grow all kinds of plants for every season, choosing only those flowers that would make her gardens sing with color. We would find her as early as 6 a.m. on a summer's morning, before it got too hot, weeding her gardens in her bathrobe in her bare feet.

Most importantly, she was an old soul. Life was a picnic with her by our side. She made life joyous, softer and sweeter. Gentle and kind to others, she never said a negative word about anyone. Although she knew hardship and disappointment, she always maintained her genuine happy demeanor, choosing optimism over sorrow.

When in her presence, one always felt understood, accepted and loved unconditionally. Her soul sang the note of eternal, unconditional love. Heaven is lucky to have such a remarkable resident angel.

She is survived by her three children, Richard Gysan Jr., Charles Gysan and Michelle Gysan; and her brother, Sandy Perry.

Richard L. Gysan Sr., 92

MOULTONBOROUGH — Richard Leigh Gysan Sr., Nov. 21, 1922-April 11, 2015, was a loving father and husband to his wife Barbara A. Gysan.

Married for nearly 74 years, Dick and Barb painted a beautiful landscape of a life together. Meeting Barbie at age 15, Dick at 17 years was enthralled with her. He knew they were soulmates. Their next 74 years together were a testimony to this love.

Trained in part at MIT, Dick was an electronic engineer at Raytheon during World War II. He introduced and trained officers and vessel captains for the use of radar, especially on ships, during the war.

Dick, with a masterful mind for business, eventually became an entrepreneur as a manufacture representative for companies like General Magnetics and traveled all over the East Coast for his clients.

Not long into this career, Dick was delving into real estate development. He had a keen eye for beautiful land that he would develop into residential homes for investment. Loving the game of real estate, he was truly passionate about his profession and bought and sold real estate until his final days at 92 years of age.

Offering him great peace and serenity, Dick loved the sea and boating. He also had a passion for restoring classic cars, still collecting and restoring them until the final months of his 92nd year of life.

Another cherished passion entailed traveling with Barbie to England. With over a dozen trips there, Dick and Barb were lured by the magic of Great Britain's scenery and people. They told us that they both used to dream about having past lifetimes there. Generating from a feeling that they both belonged there in some other time, he one day nicknamed Barbie "Quid" and "Lady Barbara." In return, she called him "Lord Hex."

Dick was also very creative. Winning contests for mechanical drawing in his youth, Dick had gone through most of his life without exploring his artistic nature. Finally, Dick learned to paint in the last five years of his life. As Barbie became quieter with Alzheimer's, she would sit next to him most afternoons while he painted. His canvas always featured peaceful mountain lakes or ocean scenes. He would paint four or five paintings a week. His artistry soothed his soul and graciously carried him through the last five years of their lives together.

Dick had a wonderful sense of humor and loved telling jokes. He could not resist any opportunity to turn a moment into a funny one. He loved his life and was proud of his wife and family. He taught us about generosity, courage, spontaneity and making one's life more magical. He encouraged us to be all that we could be and to "go for it." He lived his life at full speed, with passion and panache to the beat of his own drum.

After Barbie passed on Dick was heartbroken and lost. He died eight months after Barbie, and wrote this poem soon after she died:

"Out of the darkness and into the light I must go,

with the girl I love by my side."