By ROD LEE

Membership in the Oxford Business Association may be dramatically lower than it was when the organization was formed in 1966, but the OBA’s impact on community life is no less profound—in 2023.

A prime example of this occurred on July 16th, a warm Wednesday morning, when Dan Prouty, Ron Rheault and colleagues of theirs took a moment to turn over to the town a formerly blighted, narrow piece of land they had purchased and redeveloped.

The plaque that recognizes Ms. Barre’s contributions as a U.S. Army nurse during World War II.

“It didn’t cost the town anything,” Mr. Prouty pointed out.

Situated on Sutton Avenue just east of Oxford Center, what had unofficially been called “Gateway Park” is now dedicated to “Lt. Dorothy M. Taft Barre,” in honor of Dorothy’s “selfless commitment, bravery and service in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps” in England, Belgium and France during World War II.

Born in Oxford on July 17, 1918, Dorothy was in nursing school when Hitler declared war on the United States shortly after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, according to a booklet the OBA published, “Our Greatest Generation: Oxford Goes to War.” After graduating from Massachusetts Memorial Hospital in Boston, she joined the military on July 3, 1943, as a registered nurse. She and her fellow nurses underwent basic training at Fort Devens and by January of 1944 were in Liverpool, England.

 Above, Dan Prouty of the Oxford Business Association, attired in a blue shirt, speaks to a large crowd at the dedication of a gateway park to Dottie Barre.

The 16th General Hospital to which Dorothy’s unit was assigned was moved to a bivouac area near Enghein les Bains, France, and then in October of 1944 to Liege, Belgium.

Set up in tents in Jupille, Belgium, the hospital was hit by a V-1 twice and then bombed and strafed. Despite this, the hospital cared for hundreds of injured soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge, also called “the Ardennes Battle.”

The facility functioned as a general hospital in Chalons-sur-Marne, France until late September 1945 when it was moved to Marseilles. The unit left Marseilles on November 3rd and arrived in New York on November 19th, 1945.

After the war, Dorothy married Clarence Barre, who was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division. Mr. Barre saw combat duty in Normand, France, and Bastogne, Belgium.

Dorothy was present for the dedication ceremony on July 16th, on the eve of her 105th birthday. She was beaming in gratitude of having the park christened in her honor. A large crowd was in attendance for the event, including Town Manager Jennifer Callahan and John B. Eul Jr. who is vice chair of the Board of Selectmen.

“This is a truly great project,” Ms. Callahan said. “A lot of sweat equity went into it and a lot of local resources. I have worked tirelessly to improve the beautification of the town. My hats are off to the Oxford Business Association for this beautiful commemorative park.”

Mr. Eul reminded the crowd that U.S. military personnel from The Greatest Generation were not a “Band of Brothers” but a “Band of Brothers and Sisters.”

Waiting for the event to begin, Ms. Barre said “my grandfather bought a big house near here, opposite Dunkin’ Donuts, when he came back from the Civil War. I lived there, once.” 

True to form with all of the initiatives it undertakes, the Oxford Business Association successfully transformed the barren parcel into a nicely-landscaped showpiece. There is even a “Little Free Library” inside the handsome wood-beam pavilion that serves as a centerpiece of the park, where visitors can take and place books.

The OBA project was made possible by a lead grant from the Smolenski-Millette Charitable Trust and by the contributions of a host of donors and workers:

Ron and Karen Rheault; Dan and Marilyn Prouty; Jean M. and Paul D. O’Reilly; Susan and Norman LeBlance; Bill and Kathy Dunn; Attorney Melvyn Glickman; George and Elizabeth DeFalco; Meagan McIlvaine; John and Peggy Prouty; Timothy Prouty; June Waldron; James Gilbride; Larry Crowley; Ron Gagner; Wilson Language Training Corp.; IPG Photonics; Webster Five; Hometown Bank; Pyne Sand and Gravel; A F T Services; Hal Merrick Services; Carl’s Diner; Oxford Women’s Club; The Robbins Family; Boy Scout Troop 147; Dean Mason Paving; R C Rheault Construction; Aquarion Water; Scott Baker; Joyce Sirard; Will Dupsha; Ron Pederson; Paul Hartland; Russ Dion; Ryan Anderson; Matt Rosebrooks; Tony Dahoff; Martha Rheault; Raymond Rheault; Mark Hopkins; Justin Tortella; Nicholas Darlagiaunis; and Tom Coonan.

Mr. Prouty noted that Roger Bacon, retired from the Oxford Public Schools system, “reminded us of Dottie” in suggesting that the Gateway Park be dedicated to Ms. Barre. “He recommended her,” Mr. Prouty said. “She was my mother’s classmate in high school.”

A businessman, Mr. Prouty has lived in Charlton for more than forty years, “but Oxford is my hometown,” he said.

He noted that he not afraid to ask for help in bringing to fruition community-betterment projects like the park.

The community, in turn, is not remiss about doing its part.

Contact Rod Lee at [email protected] or 774-232-2999.