Barbara Krashes. (Courtesy photo)
Barbara Payne Krashes, 98, died peacefully at home on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. She was born and raised in Worcester, the daughter of William Raymond Payne and Anne Stanyer Payne, and lived in Princeton for nearly 70 years.
Barbara was married to the late Dave Krashes for 66 years. She is lovingly remembered by her daughters: Stephanie Opalka of Harvard; Lisa Begley and her husband, Paul, of North Brookfield; her son, Peter Krashes and his husband, Oliver Herring, of Brooklyn, New York; and her grandchildren, Meg, Lucy, and Suzy Opalka and Nick and Ryan Begley. She is survived by her sister, Joan P. Galliher, and was predeceased by her brother William Payne and son-in-law Zbigniew Opalka.
Barbara graduated from North High School in Worcester and attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and the School of Practical Art in Boston, and then worked in Boston and New York City in the field of commercial art for eight years.
Her broad interests were reflected in the numerous local cultural and civic organizations that she engaged with and supported over the years. Among many, her love of art and flowers led to longtime engagement with the Princeton Art Society and the Princeton Garden Club. In 2003, Dave and Barbara helped fund the Princeton Park and Soccer Field Development Project, now known as Krashes Fields.
Inspired by their 1780s farmhouse, Dave and Barbara were avid collectors of 19th-century New England furniture and folk portraits and ultimately built one of the most important private collections of folk art in the country. In 2015, some of their collection was exhibited at the Worcester Art Museum, with more than 40 pieces ultimately donated to the museum. They were also longtime supporters of Old Sturbridge Village as well as the American Folk Art Museum, New York.
Relatives and friends attended a funeral service honoring and celebrating Barbara’s life on Thursday, May 14, at the First Congregational Church, Princeton. Burial followed at Woodlawn Cemetery on Cemetery Road, Princeton. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.