Barbara Elizabeth Hartley passed away Jan. 11, 2015 in Silverton. She was born Jan. 22, 1927 in Portland, Ore., to Helen Mossman Nelson and Donald Orelup Nelson. She married Richard Davis Hartley July 29, 1949. He preceded her in death, as did her brother, Robert Ross Nelson (Beverly).
Barbara moved to many places as a child. Her father was a structural engineer for projects, including the Grand Coulee Dam. After her parents’ deaths, she moved to Oregon, where she graduated from Tigard High School in 1945. She earned a bachelor of arts in history from Willamette University in 1949. She was a member of Beta Chi chapter of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, where she met life time friends.
She moved to Silverton with her husband in 1950, then briefly moved to the Camp Pendleton Marine base in California when he was reactivated as a Navy Corpsman for the Korean War. Returning to Silverton, Barbara became active in the community. She was a charter member of the Evergreen Women’s Golf Association in Mount Angel, a member of United Methodist Church, and served as a leader with the Girl Scouts in the Silverton and Mount Angel area for 26 years. Barbara loved living and raising a family in Silverton’s South Center Street neighborhood.
Her love of history was reflected in her genealogy research and writings about her life and family. Family vacations involved research on the destination. No historical marker went unread. She enjoyed time at the cabin, in her family since 1926.
She is survived by sons Don (Sharon), Douglas (Nancy), Stuart (Joanne) and daughter Carol (Mo) and seven grandchildren: Megan, Alissa, April (Michael Wolber), Kelly, Emily (Orion Sword), Jeffrey, Sara and two great granddaughters, Madiline and Scarlett Sword. Memorial services were Jan. 23 at the Silverton United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in memory of Barbara Hartley to: Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington, Service Unit 25 or to the Silverton Country Historical Society.
