Barbara Danforth

Barbara Jean Danforth, beloved wife of husband, Howard, mother of children, Brian, Brad and Lisa, and grandmother to Kelly, Allison, Kyle, Katy, Shannon, and Mark, died at home peacefully surrounded by loved ones after a lengthy illness on Saturday, August 29, 2015. She deeply loved her daughters-in-law, Robin and Colleen Danforth, and her son-in-law, Bob Weafer. She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers. Barbara was an incredible, loving and thoughtful person who valued family over everything and forever touched the lives of everyone she met. Born 82 years ago in Everett, WA, Barbara was the oldest child of Berger and Elaine Johnson and the older sister to brothers, Gary and Ron. Raised in a loving Lutheran home, the family eventually settled in West Seattle, where Barbara grew up in the late Depression years and as the country went through World War. Barbara attended West Seattle High School, where in her senior year, she met the love of her life, Howard Danforth. The two would forever forge an inseparable bond and a loving relationship that lasted the rest of their lives. Barbara had a talent for writing and the arts, and became an editor for local health care organizations in Seattle after her graduation. On September 17, 1955, she and Howard married while he was a second year medical student at the University of Washington. Soon they began to raise a family. Oldest son, Brian, was born in 1956, followed just 20 months later by younger brother, Brad. Following graduation from medical school, Howard joined the United States Medical Army Corps. Life in the Army saw the family posted in San Francisco, and Fort Knox, KY, where youngest daughter, Lisa, was born in 1960. Later stops included posts in Denver, CO and Valley Forge, PA. In the summer of 1966, the family moved to Wenatchee, WA, where they settled for the rest of their lives. Barbara was the soccer mom of her era, never failing to rush the kids off to baseball, golf, and ballet practices, and endless swimming and tennis lessons. Her endless energy saw her also spend time working at the Little Art Gallery, volunteering countless hours for the Wenatchee Hospital Guild and supporting the annual Wenatchee Follies community fund raisers. In the sparse free time she had, Barbara was an active bridge player, avid reader, gourmet cook, talented home clothes designer, and she and Howard were members of the Centipede Dance Club. Barbara loved sports and was a devoted Husky and Seahawk rooter and, in the later years of her life, even became a NASCAR fan. Barbara loved to entertain and she and Howard developed a lifetime series of close friends who celebrated holidays and vacations together for the next 40 years. Next to the love of her children was her love of animals. The family had three dogs in the 70's and 80's and then moved on to a series of cats that forever became part of the family. After her kids all went to college and married, Barbara spent her empty nest years working part time at the Tumbleweed Floral Shop and at the Kitchen Witch retail shop. Her warm, loving personality made her a natural with customers. Barbara had many opportunities to travel around the world and always had a soft spot for Hawaii. In her later years, she found immense joy becoming the best grandmother anyone could ever have imagined. Her grandkids affectionately knew her as "Barber" and Howard as "Poppa" and they were the eternal joy of her life. Barber and Poppa celebrated almost 60 years of married life together and the love they shared and passed on to their kids and grandkids inspired all of their lives. Barbara's love of family, friends, and animals and her eternally positive outlook on life made her irreplaceable. We will forever feel a void with her loss. Please join us on Saturday, September 12, 2015, at 10:30 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Wenatchee for her Memorial Service to celebrate her amazing life. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be given to the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society. Arrangements are by Telford's Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee.

Barbara Danforth

February 13, 1933 - August 29, 2015