Barbara “Bobbi” Ann Farley (Age 42)
Hi. my name is Leeanna Pletcher.
I’ve worked at Long Branch Nature Center for the past 3 years as a park naturalist aide, helping Bobbi, and other staff. I’d like to say a few words about Bobbi because as we sat with our desks next to each other and worked together. She trained me how to do everything. She taught me how to do email reminders for the programs, how to send surveys, how to prepare for school programs like “animal coverings,” how care for the crow, how to do paperwork. She was very patient as I asked so many questions and when things were a better directed to a supervisor as a “Rita question, a Kat question or a Rachael question.” we became friends, and I got to know her because I listened to her.
Bobbi Farley grew up playing in the woods near her home in Massachusetts and had a love of nature from a young age. She told a story about playing with children in the woods and how she wanted that for kids “these days” too. She worked for Massachusetts Audubon where she traveled all over the state of Massachusetts teaching about birds and nature. She also worked as a vet tech.
She enjoyed seeing the world and traveled to Japan to visit a friend who was a foreign exchange student. She took a vacation to Canada to see the garter snake emergence, where snakes come out of hibernation in great numbers. She relished in refreshing downtime walking with her “little devil” Sasha, an Australian Shepard in parks around Alexandria and Fairfax. She invited me along on hikes with Sasha during our day off.
She was willing to teach others about animals and taught for 10 years for Arlington County Parks and recreation. At Long Branch Nature Center, she was recognized by school children and teens who remembered her coming to their classroom with Stumpy the box turtle. She took out a snake or turtle for nature center visitors to touch.
She cared for the menagerie of animals at the nature center including a rabbit, flying squirrel, Tippy the vulture and Aggie the crow. She was an animal rehabilitator and gave advice to anyone who called the nature center and treated turtles and snakes that needed nursing back to health. She took our animals to the vet and gave them medications. Bobbi trained and carefully monitored the many teen and student volunteers who fed and watered our animals.
She kept many pets at home over the years. Guinea pigs, snakes, her dog Sasha, and her cat Sheba.
We say people wear many hats. Bobbi Wore many shoes. She wore Sneakers for being on her feet for programs and festivals. She wore water shoes for walking on the rocks in the creek during camp. She wore sandals for hiking during the summer heat. She wore Boots for cold weather and shoveling snow outside the nature center.
I will remember the children in camps happily playing and splashing in the water of the creek in the shade during the warm days of summer. She provided a way for children to experience nature and learn to love being outdoors.
I remember field trips and taking kids hiking through the woods up to the meadow. She played a Wolf game in the meadow. She chose two kids to run ahead to the turn in the path and howl like a wolf for the other kids to come running (and not miss the turn). They would Do a lap around the meadow. She Understood children and that they needed to a chance to just run as a part of experiencing the outdoors. Since her passing, many families have shared that enjoyed and looked forward to her programs, her kindness and patience with their children, and her passion for sharing her knowledge of animals. Her programs, camps, campfires, field trips, school visits, festivals and event booths taught countless children how to care for the environment and brought joy to the community. She coordinated adult and teen volunteers, and was a mentor to many young folks. Bobbi’s legacy lives on through the impact she had on you and I, our community and the children.
She is preceded in death by her mother who was a Spanish teacher. She understood the sacrifices public school teachers make. She is survived by her brother and sister, father Peter and step mother Birdie. She talked fondly of her visits to family.
Bobbi had some expressions that she used because of her mother and family members were from NY. When things were frustrating at work, we would talk it out and be “kvetching” and she would say “Oy Vey!”. When I shared a triumph from my son in sports, she said “mozel tov” to congratulate me.
I will share one with you all now. “May her name be a blessing.”
