Barbara Jean Whitmarsh

Posted

Barbara Jean Whitmarsh passed away while sleeping, about midnight, Oct. 1, 2018. She was born in Siloam, Colo., to Lloyd and Anna Brown and was the oldest of four children. The family moved to the Seattle area at the beginning of World War II.

She attended the Prairie Academy in Alberta, Canada, where she graduated from high school, and college in 1954. She met Joe Whitmarsh while at Prairie and they were married July 3, two months after graduation.

After living at Camp Grisdale, a logging camp near Shelton, and giving birth to their son, Timothy, they moved to Los Angeles. She attended the Child Evangelism Institute director program, co-served as directors with her husband, Joe in the San Fernando Valley for three years where their daughter, Theresa was born, returning to Seattle where Joe enrolled at Seattle Pacific College. She worked as a secretary for the Remington Rand corporation, and a non-profit until after his graduation, then worked part time in the Everett school district libraries and once the kids were graduated, full time in a mental health clinic. Later, while working with Joe to start a pool and spa business in Yakima, Wash., she served as store and sales manager until retiring at 65.

While Tim and Theresa were growing up, the house was always crowded with their friends, who Barb made feel accepted and welcome. When they were in high school, it wasn’t unusual for Barb to host well over 100 kids from the church youth group for swimming parties. 

For recreation, she loved to snow ski, swim and was involved in a hiking club, but her favorite hobby was oil painting. She had a talent for seeing and capturing the beauty of nature and produced excellent paintings. She was also an accomplished seamstress, making most of Theresa’s clothes.

After the pool business was sold, she and Joe retired to Theresa and Tom’s ranch near Grand Mound. Loving gardening, she designed a beautiful yard, directing Joe in the development of the garden, filling it with her favorite shrubs and flowers. 

Her Christian faith and activity centered on people, young and old. She loved people and laughed happily with them or sorrowed deeply for them when they hurt. 

Barb is survived by Joe, her husband of 64 years; son, Timothy and his wife, Susan; daughter, Theresa Whitmarsh Berryman and husband Tom; a brother; and two sisters; and their five adult children.

A memorial service for Barb will be held at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, Mountain View Baptist Church, 1201 Belmont Ave., Centralia, WA 98579. A light lunch will be served afterward in the Fellowship Hall.