Barbara Yeomans' Obituary
Barbara J. Yeomans, longtime resident of Fort Myers and passionate supporter of the arts, passed away peacefully on January 17 surrounded by her family. She was 92.
Her remarkable life spanned two continents and eras of profound change. Born in the Cotswold region of England, her childhood was marked by the turbulence of World War II. Her family lived in London when Germany began bombing the city in 1940. They eventually returned to south central England.
As a teenager after the war, she excelled in the arts and was awarded a scholarship, allowing her to pursue a degree in fashion at Cheltenham College of Art. During her studies, she won several design awards and had the privilege of learning under some of the leading artists of the day.
While studying, Barbara met a young American airman, Lawrence Sherrill Yeomans (1930–1985) when he was stationed in England and they fell in love. She immigrated to the United States in 1954, where she married Sherrill and embraced a new life in Southwest Florida.
Over the decades, she witnessed Fort Myers transform from a small town into a sprawling city, and she played her own part in shaping its artistic identity. While raising a family, Barbara continued to nurture her passion for the arts by volunteering as an arts teacher.
Together with her husband, a commercial printer, Barbara was an early supporter of the Alliance for the Arts in the 1970s and participated in community events such as the Edison Light Parade. She also played on the local women’s tennis league.
After Sherrill’s sudden passing in 1985, Barbara returned to her own studies, enrolling at Edison Community College to pursue printmaking. She became active with the arts organization Art House and supported numerous artistic institutions throughout the Fort Myers area.
She was one of the sponsors for the Yoko Ono Imagine Peace exhibition at the Rauschenberg Gallery. In 2018, she was honored as a Grande Dame by the PACE Center for Girls of Lee County, a recognition that celebrated her lifelong commitment to creativity, mentorship, and community service. Most recently, Barbara donated artwork to the Lee County Cancer Institute 2026 annual fundraiser.
Her artwork has been awarded and exhibited in galleries, museums, and arts organizations in the US and abroad. Her practice expanded to include mixed‑media, painting, and a wide range of printmaking techniques. She held several solo exhibitions at galleries such as Sanibel’s Big Arts and the Alliance for the Arts, as well as shows at Broadfoot & Broadfoot Gallery in New York City.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Jean Hawker, and brothers Iain and Norman. She is survived by her son Adam (Lorraine), and daughters Jane (Alex) and Erika (Vitaly). She also is survived by five grandchildren and a great-grandson.
The family extends deep gratitude to family members and friends and to the nurses, aides and staff of Hope Hospice and Ocean Care Agency for their loving care for her.
A donation to the Alliance for the Arts (https://www.artinlee.org/engage/donate/), or other arts program, or to Hope Hospice (https://hopehospice.org/donate/) in memory of Barbara is suggested.
The family will hold a private memorial. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
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