Nancy (Mason) Barnes, age 88, of Westport, died May 30, 2014.

She was the wife of the late Frederick R. Barnes. Born in Fall River, a daughter of the late Dr. William and Nancy (Campbell) Mason, she spent her youth in Fall River, lived in New York City for several years and Darien, Connecticut for 30 years. She summered in Westport all her life until moving there permanently in 1984.

Mrs. Barnes was an Administrator for Darien High School for 13 years, retiring in 1984. Prior to that she taught pre-school children at several area schools including St. Luke’s Episcopal Church Nursing School.

She was a graduate of Northampton School for Girls and the former Miss Elliotts in Boston.

While in Darien, Mrs. Barnes was a member and past president of the Darien Book Aid Plan Inc., past president of the PTA and an active member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. In Westport, she was a member of the Acoaxet Club, the Spindle Rock Beach Club, a member and former board member of the Elephant Rock Beach Club. Active with Adams House, she was a former member of the board of trustees and chairman of its Women’s Board. She was an Honorary Life member of the Fall River Women’s Union.

Surviving: two sons: William Mason Barnes and his wife Anne of Westport, MA and Naples, FL, Frederick Rigby Barnes III and his wife Dr. Nancy Dupre of Prairie Village, Kansas, one daughter: Jane H. Barnes-Bernd of Bridgeport, CT, seven grandchildren: William Barnes, Jr. and wife Patricia, Karly Christ and husband Dr. Jan Baur, Robert and Amber Barnes, Rachel Denton and husband Jeffrey, Nicholas Rigby Barnes and wife Jennifer and Christopher Remington Bernd, one great grandson: William Mason Barnes III “Trip” and several nieces and nephews. She was the sister of the late Janet Edmonds.

Nancy’s life was long, well fulfilled with family and friends, and now peaceful. She wanted to leave with all of us the message of her life well lived: “Throughout it all, I did it my way.”