The Shadow
Adelaide Prickett Baritell Ballou (Bari)
Adelaide Prickett Baritell Ballou (Bari) passed away the evening of January 8th in her home with her son Sam at her side. She had been confined to her bed from the effects of advanced age for the previous month.
She was born on October 17, 1927 in Morgantown, WV to Marguerite Prickett Baritell and James Albert Baritell and was their only child. Her father was an engineer who initially built bridges for the New York Central Railroad and then worked on various projects within the Morgantown area. With the upheaval of the Great Depression, he became the engineer for the McAlpin Mine Company in McAlpin, WV to where they moved in 1935. There, along the “Winding Gulf”, Adelaide went to grade school and then to Mark Twain High School from where Sen. Robert C. Byrd had earlier graduated. In 1944 she transferred to Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, Virginia where she spent her senior high school and freshman years of college. It was at Virginia Intermont that her roommate gave her the name “Bari” as she found Adelaide “too much to say.”
While at Virginia Intermont she asked a friend to ask her boyfriend, who was in the army stationed in Hawaii, a question about the war. The boyfriend, rather than answer the question himself, in turn passed the query to a friend in his company to make the reply. As a result, for the next two years, Charles Ballou and Adelaide Baritell wrote letters to each other. When, in the summer of 1946, Charles had enough points to be discharged, after visiting with his family in Bluefield, WV, he traveled by bus to McAlpin to see her for the first time. He stayed for several days, and despite breaking a bowl while helping with the dishes, her mother predicted they would be married.
She then left for Syracuse University and he to Duke University to complete their college educations. They continued their long-distance relationship, became engaged and following their graduations were married In August of 1949 in her parent’s home in McAlpine.
Following their honeymoon in Florida, they left for Boston, Massachusetts where he entered medical school at Tufts University. They lived on the Fens for a year and then at 10 Melrose Street. She began work at the Jordan Marsh department store in its merchandising department and supported them during their four years in Boston.
From there in 1953 they moved to the Washington, D.C. area for his residency in internal medicine at D.C. General Hospital. She again supported them by working as the fashion show supervisor at Woodward & Lothrop department store. There she met her lifelong best friend Betty Wagner (“Aunt Blossom”), one of the runway models.
After four years in D.C., they moved to Welch, WV so that Charles could finally generate some income and share in their support. While in Welch they made lifelong friends with the Banners, Goodes, and Fishers. After a year’s stay in Welch and with some money in the bank they returned to D.C. to complete his subspecialty fellowship.
Now with two sons, Bari and Charles moved to Clifton Forge in July of 1959 where he began his practice at the C&O Hospital. They were subsequently joined here by George Fisher and his family whom they had befriended in Welch. From 1959 until 1969, when she received her Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (“MALS”) at Hollins College, she ran the household, lead a Cub Scout den and among other things the Clifton Forge Garden and Senior Women’s Clubs. During this time she also took painting lessons, along with Allen Hickman and Bess Caton, given by Bill Thompson at the old Clifton Forge Bus Station (now the Red Lantern Inn). In collaboration with Harry Walton and at his urging, she did her Master’s thesis on a book from his vast collection of rare books, entitled “the Lives of the Saints,” and revealed after persistent and extensive research that it was an elaborate forgery done in the early 20th century by a talented English artist who had used blank pages removed from other rare books as substrate on to which to copy the illustrations from the original two volume set of the same title.
In 1971 prior to completing her thesis she began teaching art and art history at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College. There she “was” the art department, teaching painting, drawing, print making and art history until her retirement in 1987. Prior to her retirement, along with Bess Caton, Tondalaya Vanlear, and Joan Allen, she became the driving force in the creation of the Alleghany Highlands Arts and Crafts Center which opened in 1984. This was her greatest joy from its inception until her passing. She was actively involved in the operation of the Arts Center until Charles had a crippling stroke in the fall of 2000. From that time until his death in 2009 she was his unwavering caretaker. Following his passing she returned to volunteer at the Art Center and pursued various art projects for the center and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband Charles F. Ballou, III, MD. She is survived by her sons Samuel Wilson (Tammy) and James Elon Ballou (Michele) and by her three granddaughters, Hannah Faith Ballou, Marguerite Cassie Ballou and Katherine Krick Ballou.
Her family would like to thank Barbara Black and Ann Webb who helped with her care in the last year of her life and to Connections Plus Hospice for their assistance. Many thanks also to Mr. Herbie Sams, who looked out for her and the upkeep of her home.
A memorial service will be held on May 3rd at 1:00 PM at the Alleghany Highlands Arts and Crafts Center. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributing to the Alleghany Arts and Crafts Center in her memory.
To send condolences to the family online, please visit www.nicelyfuneralhome.com
