Dr. Ann Serafin

She was the daughter of the late Carl D. and Lola S. Bachtel. She had one sister, (Mary) Grace DePollo of Elkins, deceased.

On June 28, 1952, she married Joseph B. Serafin at Red House, Maryland.

Surviving are two daughters, Juliana Serafin (Albert Liu) of Charleston, West Virginia, and Priscilla Serafin (Timothy Young) of Rowley, Massachuttess; and four grandchildren, Rebecca Young, Ethan Young, Isaac Liu and Elena Liu. She is also survived by two nieces, Janice Lantz of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and Karen Basham of Charlottsville, Virginia.

Dr. Serafin graduated from Oakland High School in 1948. She earned a BA in education from Alderson-Broaddus College at Philippi in 1962 and a doctorate in education administration from West Virginia University in 1985.

She served as a teacher and administrator in Barbour County and came to Randolph County Schools in 1976 as principal of Third Ward School. She became a county administrator in Randolph County and retired in 1989. She returned to Alderson Broaddus College as an associate professor and became chairman of the Education Division until 1996 when she retired to work on the Adaland Mansion Restoration Project with the City of Philippi, becoming executive director of Adaland in 2001.

She and her husband Joe were among the original volunteers on this project and she continued to love managing Adaland for about 20 years.

She was a member of Crim Memorial United Methodist Church, the Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, the Barbour County Historical Society, Barbour County Retired School Employees and was a life member of the West Virginia Retired School Employees and the West Virginia Garden Club Inc. She was a past president of the Philippi Woman’s Club, Philippi Garden Club, and Philippi AAUW.

Dr. Serafin was honored as a History Hero by the state of West Virginia and received the 2015 Historic Preservation Project of the Year from the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia. She was honored by the Barbour County Chamber of Commerce for community service in 2016 and that same year Adaland was the business of the year. She was well known in historic restoration circles and loved history, old buildings, furniture, art, music and wildflowers.

The Serafins maintained a perennial garden and yard at their home for many years and loved to care for it.

A special thanks to Ann’s caregivers Roberta Wiseman, Jaime Daughtery, Nancy McLeod and everyone at Brookdale Charleston Gardens.

A memorial service will be held at Crim Memorial United Methodist Church on Saturday, July 11, at 11 a.m. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

Donations in Ann’s memory may be made to Crim Memorial United Methodist Church, Adaland Mansion, or the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy.

Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.wrightfuneral homeservices.com.