Maureen Baron, 54, Was Therapist, Health Activist

Maureen Anne Baron, staff member of the Vineyard Nursing Association (VNA) since 1995 and most recently director of the Women's Health Network on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, died Tuesday, Jan. 20 at Middle Earth, the home she shared with her husband, Shelly, on Chappaquiddick. She was 54 years old. The cause of death was colon cancer.

Maureen was the daughter of Lucille and Robert Alter of Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., and West Tisbury. After graduating from Hastings High School, Maureen went to the Hunter College School of Nursing and earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing in 1971. While working as a public health nurse for the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, she attended Columbia University School of Social Work and earned her master's degree in 1979. Maureen was the founder and first president of JACS, a pioneer program that helped Jewish people break through their denial of addiction. She had been a certified addiction specialist since 1993.

Maureen met her husband, Sheldon Baron, in New York city. They were married at the Alter home in West Tisbury in 1976. As psychotherapists, they dedicated themselves to helping people overcome addictions. While still living and practicing in New York, and soon after they were married, the Barons found a second home on Chappaquiddick, where they could unwind from the rigors of their work in the city. They commuted between their two homes until 1998.

Maureen joined the staff of the VNA as a community health nurse in 1998, when she moved to the Island full-time. She soon became the coordinator of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Initiative on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. She became director of the Women's Health Network in July, 1999 and held that position until her death. At the same time, Maureen maintained a private practice as a highly respected professional psychotherapist.

As a year-round resident, Maureen was actively involved in the community. She spoke eloquently and passionately at town meetings on subjects dear to her heart, such as conservation and ecological issues. As a member of the board of directors of the Chappaquiddick Island Association, she helped to bring about welcome changes in mail, parcel, and FedEx deliveries. She supported the Chappaquiddick Community Center in every way, from fund raising to roasting a turkey for the annual Christmas Eve dinner and on to helping out with the center's events. No one who attended a potluck supper at the community center within the past 10 years will forget Maureen's regular contribution of succulent breaded porkchops.

Over the years, the Barons quietly developed Middle Earth into one of the finest, least known wildlife sanctuaries on the East Coast. Their love affair with birds began at their Chappy home. One day shortly after they moved in, they heard unusual noises. They looked outside to see a strange bird being chased by wild turkeys. The strange bird, they discovered, was one of Edo Potter's peacocks, which she was happy to pass on to Maureen and Shelly. They named him Aragorn, after the hero of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, which had been Maureen's favorite books since childhood. And so began the conversion of their property from backyard to bird sanctuary.

Taking care of the many aviaries meant long hours; those who watched Maureen or Shelly chopping countless heads of lettuce each morning will never forget the sight. The many visitors who showed up at feeding time will always remember how their innocent offers to help resulted in being handed live worms to toss to the hungry birds. In the Middle Earth infirmary, Maureen often put her nursing skills to work, healing injured and ailing birds. Gus Ben David, naturalist at Felix Neck, remembers Maureen for her caring manner, steady optimism and kindness, and cites the infirmary as another indication of the value Maureen placed on all living creatures. Her husband says, "Her words were kindness; her deeds were love."

The Barons were members of the International Water Fowl Association. They traveled with the group on yearly expeditions and made many good friends worldwide.

Maureen also will be remembered for her contributions as a member of the Chappy Book Club. In fact, she suggested the January title, Red Tails in Love, by Marie Win, which is the story of a pair of red tailed hawks atempting to raise a family in New York city. It is a fitting book to read at the finale of Maureen's life.

Maureen's family intends to quietly mark her cremation. Later in the year, a memorial celebration of her life will take place at the community center.

In addition to Shelly and her parents, Maureen is survived by three sisters: Deborah Alter of Chestnut Ridge, N.Y., Amy Jeffereis of Wilton, Conn., and Midge Caparoso of New York city; four grandchildren, Ben, Lucas, Rachel, and Gerry, and one niece and four nephews. Also surviving her are Marilyn and Scott Baron of Bedford, N.Y., and Joe Sherman of West Orange, N.J.

Contributions in Maureen's memory may be sent to the Vineyard Nursing Association, P.O. Box 2568, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 (508-693-6184).