:Barbara Lessig, proprietor of Pleasant Valley Antiques, a longtime antiques dealer, personal property appraiser and expert on glass, died Monday, April 13.
Barbara was born in Fremont, Ohio, the only child of Myrtle Nolle and James McIlrath. She grew up in the Philadelphia area and graduated from Haverford High School. Barbara attended Pennsylvania State University and received a BS in marketing in 1955.
Barbara and Jim Lessig were married in 1957. They moved to Reading, Penn., where Barbara was employed by United Gas Improvement as a home service representative. In 1959, Jim and Barbara moved to Ithaca, N.Y., where Jim attended graduate school. Their first child, James, was born there. After graduation, they moved to New York City, where Amy was born, and then to Boston, where Nancy and Sandra were born.
In 1968, the family came to Brookeville, Md. Barbara, a full-time mother, developed her interest in collecting and selling antiques, which soon blossomed into a business, Pleasant Valley Antiques. Her business grew as she exhibited at antique shows, managed estate sales and appraised antiques and personal property for clients.
Through study and experience, Barbara became a certified appraiser of personal property awarded by the International Society of Appraisers (ISA). She was co-founder and first president of ISA's local chapter. She was active as a member and leader in the National American Glass Club, Questers International, The American Cut Glass Association, Antique Dealers Association of Maryland, Corning Museum of Glass, Sandwich Glass Museum and, locally, the Sandy Spring Museum.
Barbara and Jim have served clients in antiques sales for more than 35 year. Barbara was also a writer and frequent lecturer on collecting and appraising antiques and personal property.
She was an elder in the Presbyterian Church, USA. As a member of St Matthew Presbyterian Church in Silver Spring, Md., for more than 40 years, she served as newsletter editor, worship commission chairperson and member of the church's evangelism, mission, ministry, planning and program commissions.
Barbara is survived by her husband of more than 50 years, Jim, a musician who specializes in appraising wind instruments; and by her four children and seven grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St Matthew Presbyterian Endowment Fund, 4001 Bel Pre Road, Silver Spring MD 20906.
