Saratoga Springs, NY - After a long battle with cancer, Barbara R. Thomas, 67, of Piping Rock Circle, passed away June 14,2010 at home. Born November 13, 1942 in Hackensack, NJ, the daughter of Marguerite R. Rasmussen and the late T. Howard Rasmussen. She was raised in River Edge, NJ where she graduated from Riverdell High School. In 1964, she graduated from Mount Holyoke College as a geology major and continued on to graduate school at Northwestern University in Evanston IL. There she met her future husband and they were married on June 26, 1965. Together they moved on to the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS where she completed her M.S. degree in Geology with a thesis on the Authegenic Feldspars of the Hudson River Limestones. She and her husband then moved to Saratoga Springs where she continued her studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In addition to raising two children, she worked several years as a chemist, analyzing radon concentrations in homes, culminating in a major report on the distribution of radon in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties. She taught enrichment courses on geology for the local B.O.C.E.S. resulting in the publication of Fairly Simple Exercises in Geology for Teachers and Students, now a major web resource for K-12 and introductory college students. Barbara was a Girl Scout leader for 12 years and continues as a life member of Girl Scouts of the USA. In addition to extensive flower and vegetable gardens at home, she shared her love of gardening as a master gardener. For 14 years she has been a volunteer gardener at the Yaddo Rose Garden and is a past president of the organization. She is the head gardener for one of the four rose beds. Barbara is survived by her husband, John J. Thomas; daughters, Rebecca B. Thomas of Vienna, Austria and Hannah J. Thomas of Perkasie, PA and her mother, Marguerite R. Rasmussen of Malta. A memorial service will be conducted at 10:30am Saturday (June 19, 2010) at the Presbyterian New England Congregational Church, 24 Circular Street, Saratoga Springs. Gifts in Barbaras memory may be made to the Yaddo Garden Association, P.O. Box 395, Saratoga Springs NY 12866. We especially want to thank our friends and neighbors who have supported us through the years and Drs. James Noonan, Jill Gradner, and Patrick Timmins We are very grateful for the help of Community Hospice of Saratoga who guided and helped her through her final days. Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes of 628 North Broadway(584-5373). Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.