Barbara "Babs" Meegan, BBer Kennett Square, passes away (funeral info pg 3 -- Celebration of the Life of Babs info on Page 7)

[Everythingbutwings]

My grief cannot be adequately put into words.

I heard this just this evening as I was recalling the conversation I had last Friday when darling Babs called to apologize for missing me at Upperville.

There are no words to describe the wonderous amount of joy she brought into my life. I have jealously missed every moment that I didn’t have with her between the times we got together at Cavallo, Frying Pan, Culpeper, Upperville and group outings.

I didn’t realize that those moments would be cut off forever.

Babs was truly a fabulous and generous person. There can be no replacement.

Friendship is Love without his wings
-Lord Byron

[GO-dog-GO]

After 46 years I have a pretty short list of people that I’m very glad I know, without question Babs is at the top of that list. While I no longer post on the COTH BB I’d like to thank COTH because I first ‘met’ her here. Later meeting at Mosbys [on more then a few nights!] we shared many stories and laughs [and a lot of drinks]. Without question many of our biggest laughs came from the topic of the COTH BB’s and the pretentious seriousness that could surround a BB about riding horses.

In the spring of 02 she and Mr. & Mrs. ETBW joined Sarah and I for an Easter feast following her giving me a jumping lesson in Middleburg. Up beat, with a smile that was infectious she worked with me despite the rain. She was gracious enough to complement my riding skills despite the fact they’re are non-existent.

I’ve met very few people in my life like her and I’m sorry if you never had the chance to meet her in person.

My deepest sympathy to her friends who I know will miss her very much.

Don’t worry Babs, I’ll have more then one drink in your honor tonight!

GDG aka “The Great Pumpkin”

Make SURE your right before you decide everyone else is wrong.

Lord please save me from those trying to save me!

[larosa90]

Bravo!

[goobs]

I never met Kennett Square but when I first found this board I would laugh hilariously at her posts. I loved her BB handle and thought that was the coolest name ever. She caught my eye immediately and although I never posted I would sit here and die laughing. I, too, was shocked to hear of her passing.

Reading all these posts is making me cry. I remember Cactus Kate and Dee Dee but never met them personally and with Dee Dee never had a chance to post to them. Whoever had the great privilege and blessing to meet any or all of those three hopefully better know how lucky they are (I am sure you all do).

The warmth and laughter she has spread around while she was alive will live on through all who knew her on or off this BB. That is her gift to all of us. Rest in eternal peace Kennett Square and know how much you will be missed.

[mwalshe]

I never met “KS” but I wanted too. Her genuine affection for her students and the wonderful relationships you all shared with her shone loud and clear on this BB, and simply from her postings here I had tremendous respect for her both as a horsewoman and a person. I think she would be very proud to read many of the articulate and loving posts on this thread from her students, for whom she obviously cared deeply.

I am so sorry

[PeriwinkleBlue]

I am so sorry to hear this. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and her family.

---

He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant and she was the East River.

[Black_Market_Radio]

Oh, this is terrible. I didn’t “know” her, but I sure felt like I knew her through this BB! I remember all the pics that were posted of her with the VA clique, and she always had this fabulous smile plastered across her face! She was so genuine and friendly, and always had great advice and insights. My deepest sympathies to her family and friends, both in-person friends and BB friends. My goodness this board has seen so many major tragedies with some of the most well known bbers lately. When will it end?

GO MARINES!!! OORAH!!!

[ClemsonGraduateRider]

OMG - when Heineken called to tell me I could not believe it. I have known Babs since I was like 13. I knew her because she was always so friendly at horse shows and you could always hear her joyous laughter across the show grounds. We joked many times about precious pumpkins and pony point chasing when I worked the gate at Lin-Ann shows. then she was gracious enough to let me ride Robert when I had nothing to ride when I moved back to VA. I was only able to ride him six or seven times but it was the willingness with which she offered her baby to me that showed what a wonderful person she was.

I have a hard time imaginging VA horse shows without her. She was a tremendous addition to the horse world, will be sorely missed and most certainly never forgotten…

---

“We learn from history that we do not learn from history.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

[Bentley]

What a loss

Sounds like she was a wonderful person and a dear friend to many people. My heart goes out to all that knew her.

Rest well Empress,

Alixe

[Lisamarie8]

I was off line all weekend and when i saw ETBW’s post on TTR, i thought it had to be mistaken.

I only had a couple opportunities to meet babs, and we laughed over mimosas.

She did have a marvelous laugh.

The loss is of enormous proportions. I send my sympathy and condolences to all those that loved and were loved by her.

— My most endearing quality lies in my willingness to humiliate myself

[Heineken]

I don’t know what to say…Babs has the distinction of being the very first BBerI met in person last year.

Enjoy the rides up there Babs! Jump high and fast.

[Blinky]

I’m stunned! I received an email from Babs about a week ago. I knew Babs from my days of living in Northern Virginia in the 80’s and again most recently as Kennett Square. Babs was always a class act, friendly to everyone.

My thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends, and “Precious Pumpkins.”

[breezymeadow]

Agreed Louise.

And really, I’m not angry. Although I’m not a really “religious” person either - I do believe that there is a reason, somewhere, for everything that happens to us.

I do, however, find the whole thing very baffling.

My body is a temple - unfortunately, it’s a “fixer-upper”.

[LoriO]

I was wondering why I hadn’t seen her post in awhile. I never met her in person, but I loved reading her posts here!

“Member of the Western clique”

All gave some…And some gave all…God bless the USA

[JAGold]

Just wanted to add my sympathies to friends and students of KS. You are all a wonderful testimony to her teaching and her life.

I only met KS once, at a BB gathering at Frying Pan. We joked about which of us would steal Fairweather’s horse Phoenix.

breezymeadow, I worked for Dr. Dement, the Stanford doctor who is widely considered the leading expert on sleep apnea. He’s devoted his life to spreading exactly the message you delivered. --Jess

[Heather]

I didn’t know Babs in real life.

They say the greatest judge of a teacher is their students. When seeing the love for the horse, humility, grand humor, and ultimate horsmanship passed on to her students on this board, it is clear that Babs was a very, very gifted teacher indeed.

To lose such a teacher is a terrible loss indeed. My condolences to all that knew her.

[Louise]

Words cannot express how badly I feel. I never met Babs, but we had fun on the BB and occassionally exchanged emails. She was a true gem of a person, and I will miss her joy and her gentle kindness. I feel so badly for all of her “Precious Pumpkins.” They are going to miss her so.

---

This too, shall pass.

[Paige]

Babs & I had routine down - she’d ask me to ride some element (super-tight broken line, large jump, etc.) and I would inevitably say no. She’d give me a look, and I would go and do what ever she asked anyway. I’m not a risk taker, but she could make me do what I thought I couldn’t, because she knew I could. I had just told my mom the other day, that once, before I go to college this fall, I was going to just do what she asked without saying no. I had mentioned this to Babs as well, and she told me she was going to be very old before that happened - this just isn’t fair.

[Anyplace_Farm]

I am sorry to just now be paying my respects to Babs, days after this has happened…was away for the weekend and it’s my first opportunity to get in front of my computer.

This news got an immediate yelp and tears out of me when I heard it. I’ve known Babs for nearly 20 years. Whether you’ve known Babs for 20 years or 20 minutes, what you do know about her is that she always had a great time wherever she was and you would too if you were with her. She was always upbeat and always had something hilarious to say that made you laugh out loud. She, herself, had an infectious laugh and you never even had to know what the joke was…just hearing her laugh made you laugh too.

She and I worked the same side of the street when it came to being ‘point whores,’ as she called us, and somewhere, there’s a picture of she and I wearing our tiaras. I have several pictures of Babs and in every one, she’s either beaming from ear to ear or giving a student a reassuring pat.

What a treasure, what an original…she was the real McCoy and was a huge piece of the heart of Cavallo Farm. My deepest, deepest condolences go out to her immediate family but I truly feel for the owners, staff and Bab’s extended family at Cavallo farm who have spent years shoulder-to-shoulder thru good times with Babs…with Babs, there were no bad times.

Babs, honey, give a big kiss to my mom for me. I’ll have you know I’m typing this message to you with a fractured finger that I got from playing football with my Rower. Since I gave up my Cowboy some time ago, I bequeath him to you. Do you think the SuperJack can fly all the way to heaven? And who will care for Crackerbarrel Barbie now? Lastly, I know you hate my Jack Russells but Dottie was really nice. You’ll like her. When she jumps into your lap, give her a pat for me. She’s great company. And you, Missy…I’ll be having a chat w/you later…

I’d like to close with some Bab-isms and I hope other people will cheer everyone up by adding some of their favorites.

Someone else already said this one but I have to say, it was one of my favorites:
“OH!!! You’re making my eyes bleed!”

The others are:
“Look at you!! You’re running down that line like your hair is on fire!!!”

“Eat a donut.”

“My GOD!!! Don’t they ever feed you?”

On discussion of food, “I have to keep up my girlish figure.”

While we were all whining about the cold, “Of course I’m not cold! I have extra insulation!!!”

“Of course there’s room for your skinny little ass. Sit down.”

"I NOW INFORM YOU THAT YOU ARE TOO FAR FROM REALITY."
Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, Iraqi Minister of Information

"Life ain't certain...ride your best horse first."  Unknown

[KC]

I’m remembering Empress Czarina Babina’s billowing laugh and broad smile through tears. So many times while riding I hear her words of wisdom in my head:

“Sit away!”

“Use the whole ring - you paid for it!”

and the dreaded, “Come here, Pumpkin.”

I hope the tiara is light upon your head, Empress. Cowboy down that line.

–VRM

Money doesn’t make you happy but it quiets the nerves.

• Sean O’Casey