Barbara June Wylan

Announcement: Barbara (Bobbie) June (Woodruff) Wylan, 91, passed away on the evening of August 7, 2025, at the Henrietta Brewer house in Martha’s Vineyard, MA. She died after a long health battle, with loved ones by her side.

Barbara was born in Providence, Rhode Island on October 23, 1933 to Stuart A. Woodruff and Edna M. (Mac Gillivray) Woodruff. She grew up in Rumford, Rhode Island and attended Rhode Island School of Design, where she earned her undergraduate degree in fine arts/apparel design.

After living in New York briefly following college, Barbara married Paul Wylan (1931-2019) and they moved to Germany for a year in the army, before settling down briefly in San Francisco and then permanently in Massachusetts.

Barbara was an avid, highly talented painter in watercolor and acrylic. She had an annual art show of her work for years. mostly on Cape Cod, showing primarily at the Spectrum gallery in Brewster. Also, she was proud to have had one of her paintings accepted into the Cape Cod Museum of Art, to remain in their permanent collection.

She was a member of the prestigious Copley Society, in Boston’s Back Bay, until 2006. As such, she hung her work in several juried shows throughout her career. Barbara was also a member of Twenty One in Truro, a spirited group of Cape women painters.

Barbara was an avid organic gardener, well before the movement reached the status it has today.
She was blessed with a beautiful home she and Paul built in 1971, with ocean views of Barnstable Harbor and salt marshes, which were an inspiration for many of her paintings. Most of her work consisted of landscape and seascape paintings. Barbara impacted many people in her life as well by teaching and encouraging other artists.

Barbara is survived by her adult children, Andrea Wylan and Brock Wylan, both residing in California. Also, her brother, Robert Woodruff, niece, Laurie Welch, Laurie’s husband, Tom, nephew, Andrew Woodruff, and sister-in-law, Anna Borre--all of whom reside on Martha’s Vineyard, MA.

She will be missed by her family and friends for her sense of humor, and her support of humanitarian and environmental causes, in addition to her art. The family wishes to thank the staff and owners of the Henrietta Brewer House for the loving care given to Barbara.

There is no planned funeral service for Barbara, but there will be an online guestbook.