12/01/2025
Barbara Lee Somerville Shults Finch
Barbara Lee Somerville Shults Finch, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, educator, and friend, passed away peacefully at Noyes Memorial Hospital in Dansville, NY, on Friday, November 14, 2025. She was 87 years old.
Born on January 7, 1938, in Hornell, New York, Barbara grew up surrounded by her close-knit family. There, she learned the values that would shape her lifelong devotion to learning, justice, and community.
Barbara was the daughter of Lee Ona Somerville Shults and Sherman Boynton Shults. She was the middle child of three. Her older brother, Sherman Shults Jr., passed away during childhood, and her younger brother, David Shults, survives her. From an early age, Barbara stood out as an exceptionally creative, curious, and compassionate person —a spirit she carried forward into every chapter of her life. A gifted student, Barbara graduated from Hornell High School in 1956 and went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in the Arts with a focus on Government from Cornell University in 1960, where she was an active member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
Barbara’s early career began in New York City in 1960, where she worked at J. Walter Thompson Co. and attended classes at Columbia University. A few years later, she continued her studies at the University of Michigan, where she enjoyed writing movie reviews for the student newspaper and earned her Master’s degree in Education in 1964. This experience would later contribute to her finding her true calling as an educator.
Her love for writing and creativity led her west to San Francisco during a transformative and vibrant time in 1965, where she pursued new opportunities with the Working Girl Employment Agency and deepened her artistic interests, taking classes at the San Francisco Art Institute. A few years later she would move to Houston and become a teacher at a private catholic school.
For forty years, Barbara taught AP American Government, Economics, Civics, U.S. History, and Social Studies at Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart in Houston, Texas (1973–2013). Her classroom was both rigorous and joyful, a place where ideas were challenged, curiosity ignited, and every student was given room to grow, succeed, or learn from failure on their own terms.
She was a beloved teacher—dynamic, witty, endlessly patient, and deeply committed to helping her students understand the principles and responsibilities of citizenship. Each year, through a program called “Close Up,” she took a group of students to Washington DC to experience their government in action. One of her colleagues said, "Barb was great at getting her students to actively participate in their democracy by taking them to trials and encouraging them to register to vote.”
Her professional honors reflect the depth of her expertise and her impact on generations of students. Barbara was awarded the James Madison Fellowship in Constitutional Law at Rice University and the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship in American Government at Stanford University. She earned the APSA (American Political Science Association) Teaching Award and actively contributed to the Bill of Rights Education Collaborative, a joint initiative of the American Political Science Association and the American Historical Association, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Her work helped strengthen civics education nationwide and supported teachers across the state of Texas in bringing constitutional literacy into all classrooms.
Later in life, guided by a strong belief in justice and civic engagement, Barbara returned to her studies and earned a Master’s degree in Constitutional Law from Rice University in 1998. She continued learning simply for the joy of it, taking part in summer fellowships at Stanford, Princeton, American University, and Georgetown University.
Barbara’s passions were as wide-ranging as they were sincere. She was an avid reader of The New York Times, a lifelong collector of magazines, a lover of travel, history, culture, and conversation. She drove cross-country more than 100 times—an astonishing testament to her independence, love of discovery, and delight in the open road. She embraced life with enthusiasm, humor, and an infectious joy that touched everyone who knew her.
Those who loved Barbara will remember her as a dynamic, sharp-witted, gracious, and tolerant person with endless curiosity. She was extroverted, loyal, a true social butterfly—and a legendary party-goer who cherished evenings with family, a glass of summer chardonnay, and long peaceful moments on the porch, overlooking Loon Lake. “Are we having fun yet?" was a question she would frequently ask her guests. She found joy everywhere, and no one could say her name without smiling.
Barbara is survived by her devoted husband of 63 years, Tremaine Finch, whom she married in August 1962. Together, they built a rich and loving life rooted in family, education, and shared adventure. She is also survived by her two sons, Terry and Sherman; her grandchildren, Grayson, Ava, Charlotte, and Eliot; and her brother, David Shults. She leaves behind countless friends, former students, colleagues, and loved ones who were inspired by her generosity, intellect, and radiant spirit.
Barbara maintained close and cherished friendships throughout her life. Her circle was wide, and her heart was open. She valued friendships deeply and delighted in spending time with others. She was welcoming, generous, and endlessly curious about the lives of those around her, and her presence brought joy wherever she went.
Barbara lived fully, loved deeply, and uplifted everyone around her. Her legacy lives on in her family, her students, her work, and the countless lives she touched with kindness, laughter, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people.
SERVCIE INFORMATION WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY THE FAMILY . The Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home, 285 Main St., Hornell is honored to assist Barbara’s family with the arrangements. Information on her Service and Celebration of Life arrangements will be posted on a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Barbara’s honor may be made to the causes she cared about most—education, opportunity, and a free press: Hornell High School www.donorschoose.org/Hornell High School, Hornell High School Alumni Association, P.O. Box 135, Hornell, NY 14843 or Duchesne Academy – Library & Alumni Giving www.duchesne.org/giving/ways-to-give-clone, or organizations supporting fair journalism and a free press www.cpj.org or www.freepress.net
Online condolences or remembrances of Barbara are welcome at bishopdesanto.com or on the page of Bishop-Johnson & Desanto Funeral Home.
