Obituary: Barbara Ann (Nelson) Winslow

Barbara Ann Winslow, a pioneering physical therapist who founded one of Maine's longest-running private therapy practices and dedicated decades to community service across the state, died May 28 at Piper Shores in Scarborough. She was 84.

Born in Rochester, New York, in 1942, Winslow spent the past five decades building a life split between Maine's capital region and the coast. She is survived by her husband of nearly 60 years, Warren E. Winslow Jr., with whom she shared homes in Augusta, Manchester, and Scarborough.

Winslow's career in healthcare began with a pair of degrees in science and physical therapy from the University of Pennsylvania, where she met her future husband during his law school studies. Upon graduation in 1965, she moved to Maine and became the first physical therapist at Maine General Hospital in Augusta, then known as Augusta General Hospital.

In 1967, she co-founded Physical Therapy Associates with Nancy Schatz, a partnership that would span more than 50 years. The practice provided rehabilitative services to schools throughout the Augusta area, with Winslow famously bringing her cairn terriers to work. The dogs became unofficial therapy companions for young patients, a tradition she continued throughout her career. In later years, she and her husband adopted rescue dogs Archie and Mouse, who divided their time between their homes in Scarborough and Manchester on Lake Cobbosseecontee.

Her interest in animal-assisted therapy reflected a broader commitment to holistic approaches to healing. Throughout her career, Winslow advocated for bringing comfort and companionship into clinical settings, colleagues said.

Beyond her private practice, Winslow was deeply involved in healthcare governance and philanthropy in Maine. She served on the board of trustees for Maine General Medical Center and was an active fundraiser for the hospital foundation during its expansion. She also contributed to the Kennebec Valley Humane Society, where she held a board position.

After moving to Piper Shores, Winslow continued her pattern of community engagement. She participated on the facility's Health and Quality of Life committee, organized social events for new residents, and became known for hosting gatherings that drew friends from across the region.

Winslow's appetite for experience extended far beyond Maine. Following her retirement, she traveled extensively with close friend Hanneke McQuoid, visiting destinations on every inhabited continent. Their journeys took them from the temples of Southeast Asia to the beaches of South America, from the historic cities of Western Europe to the wilds of East Africa. Friends described her as an adventurous traveler who approached new cultures with curiosity and enthusiasm.

Family remained central to her life. She and her husband took particular joy in hosting their grandchildren at their lake house in Manchester, where generations gathered for boat rides, tubing sessions, and homemade meals. Winslow was known for her blueberry pancakes and chicken pie, dishes that became synonymous with summer weekends at the lake.

She is survived by her husband, Warren, and their three children: David Winslow and his wife Kris, who live between Augusta and Caribou; Elizabeth Winslow and her husband Tim, along with their three daughters, Sophie, Lily, and Lexi, all of Pleasanton, California; and Amy Winslow of Scarborough and her three children, twins Ryan and Marc, and daughter Erin. Her only sibling, brother Tom Nelson and his wife Dawn, reside in Rochester, New York.

Winslow was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Neva Nelson, her parents-in-law, Warren and Marguerite Winslow of Falmouth, and her sister-in-law, Nancy Elizabeth Winslow Woolger of Clinton, Michigan.

A celebration of her life will be held at Piper Shores at a date to be announced. She will be buried alongside her husband at the Winslow family plot in Pine Grove Cemetery in Falmouth.

The family has requested that memorial contributions be made to the charity of the donor's choice.