Barbara Savage Feld
OCTOBER 26, 1933 – NOVEMBER 17, 2022
On November 17, 2022, Barbara Savage Feld, business owner, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away at the age of 89 while under the compassionate care from the staff at Millpond Health Campus in Greencastle, Indiana. A resident of Greencastle for 67 years, Barbara was born and raised in Brookhaven, Mississippi.
Enrolling in Depauw as a young music student, she met and married James Poor, a Greencastle native and co-student at DePauw University. After Jim’s stint in the Air Force ended, Barbara returned to Greencastle in 1955 to raise her children and begin her investment into our community.
Barbara had many passions. She loved her community, the numerous groups of which she was a part, and the friendships she nourished throughout life. An avid gardener, Barbara also loved playing bridge (so long as she won), birdwatching and cats. Yes, she certainly loved her cats. But above all, two passions stand out. First is the business she founded, grew and is now run by her son, Michael, and daughter-in-law, Julie – Feld’s Carpet One.
Receiving her teaching degree from Indiana State University and her Master’s degree at DePauw University, Barbara taught 6th grade at Northeast (Tzouanakis) elementary (which she adored). In 1977 Barbara started her flooring business with her second husband, Alan Feld. Only three years into a new business, Alan passed, leaving her as a single woman with a carpet store and little experience. Most people would have chosen a different path or failed in the attempt. Not Barbara. When told by a banker that single women shouldn’t run businesses, it only made her more determined. Barbara came of age in a time when women were expected to behave themselves and make themselves small, yet she never stopped marching to her own beat and blazed her own trail in a multitude of ways. Forty-five years later, Feld’s Carpet One remains a fixture in the Greencastle retail firmament. And, until a few months prior to her death, she was still going into the store each day.
Barbara’s second passion was her family. In her last days, reflecting upon a life well lived, Barbara was quick to mention her pride in her children – Stephen, Julia, and Michael – but even more so, her love and pride in her granddaughters and great-grandchildren. For 68 years, continuing until the moment of her death, her love was constant and unwavering for all. As a family, we will carry that love with us for the rest of our life's journey.
Barbara will surely be remembered for her wit, humor and laughter as well as her ability to have fun and enjoy life no matter what the situation or collection of people she was with. She loved bigger than anyone else we knew and there was never any doubt as to how much she loved us. She touched and enriched so many lives of individuals and will live with us always.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Alan Feld, her mother, Ruth Ilma Savage, her father, Richard Savage, M.D., and her daughter, Julia Poor Swope. Barbara leaves behind two sons, Stephen Poor (Marcia Mahoney) and Michael Poor (Julie), and five granddaughters, Katherine Poor (Benjamin Salk), Amanda Crosland (Joseph), Stephanie Swope Predmore (Alexander), Ruth LizBeth Poor (Chris Bacchi) and Lainey Poor Pluhar (Edward). Barbara also was the proud great-grandmother to five: August and Zula Crosland, Acadia and Margot Salk and Eden Predmore.
A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held on December 10th at 2:00 pm. at Hopkins Rector Funeral Home in Greencastle. Visitation will be held prior from 1:00 pm until 2:00 pm at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Barbara’s honor to her favorite passions: PEO Foundation supporting the education of young women. Donations should be addressed to:
PEO CB Chapter, C/O Barbara Rice, 485 Ridgeland Road, Greencastle, IN 46135, or Humane Society of Putnam County, PO Box 444, Greencastle, IN 46135.
Memories may be shared with the family at www.Hopkins-Rector.com.
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