Barbara Violetta Baker Powell was born June 8, 1935, in Wabash, Ind., to Hubert C. and Mabel E. Hapner Baker.
She grew up in Wabash and attended high school there, where she was active in several committees and in band, playing several instruments. After graduating from Noble Township High School, third in her class, Ma left for the big city, where she worked as a payroll clerk and accountant.
Soon after that she enlisted in the U.S. Navy and got transferred to Seattle. She worked in the Public Information Office as a journalist, reporter and photographer. It was at the front gate that she met Leslie Ross Powell. He was working the gate and asked Barbara if he could borrow $5. She gave him the money, and he paid her back.
Les and Barb were married May 3, 1956, at Kelso, Wash., and they started their family soon after. She completed her term and discharged from the Navy. They lived in Bremerton, Wash., for a short time, then the family moved to Cartegena, Spain, where they lived until 1965. The next transfer was to Norfolk, Va,, where they lived briefly before moving to Longview, Texas. Dad retired from the Navy after 20 years and enlisted in the U.S. Army, and he went back to Virginia for four years.
Ma worked full time as a bookkeeper and secretary while in Texas, attended business college, and raised three children alone for most of that time, while Dad was in Asian waters piloting his tug boat. Barbara had many talents, including sewing, and she made wonderful clothes for the family and suits and jackets for Les. Throughout her life, she often played the organ at church, whether in Spain, Texas or Washington state. Dad retired from the Army, and the family moved to Lewiston in 1971.
It was then that both Barb and Les enrolled at Lewis-Clark State College, both graduating; she in 1972 and 1977, in accounting and social, political and behavioral sciences. They were featured in the LCSC magazine Reflections.
She was a great cook. Ma canned food from the garden, including apricot and plum jam from their many trees. Barb's homemade noodles with chicken was the ultimate meal. Les and Barb were a great duo in the kitchen, concocting the best Texas chili ever, and a much-anticipated annual traditional seafood gumbo for friends of Bill W. and from the office. No one ever left hungry. They both were very generous and giving, donating to several causes and helping those in need.
Barbara worked as an accountant at several businesses in Lewiston. She was a certified public accountant and had her own business doing taxes for a number of people for years. She worked at the Carpenters Local No. 398 in Lewiston until Les went to work for the U.S. Civil Service at Fairchild Air Force Base in 1986. They then moved to Airway Heights and Medical Lake, Wash. They lived in Orbis, Germany, from 1987 until 1990, then moved back to Medical Lake, where he continued to work at Fairchild. Barbara worked in the civil service at the base hospital for a couple years, and she was awarded a medal for heroism and bravery in the line of fire by getting people out of the building and into a safe place during a gunman's siege. She even tumbled down a hill like something out of the show "The A-Team."
After retiring, she continued to maintain a wonderful home and work on genealogy. Did someone say genealogy? This was her life's work. She taught classes for beginners to advanced, and she spent a lot of time looking at microfiche, walking around cemeteries and typing. Barbara traced both her own family history, as well as the Powell's, back to the 1500s, and she published the Hapner Family History in 1977, which is in the Library of Congress. She also compiled newspaper abstracts of The Teller and the Lewiston Teller from microfilm and published "Citizens of North Idaho, Volumes One and Two," which are in several libraries across the region. She was a past member and past president of the Twin Rivers Genealogical Society and a past member of the Nez Perce County Historical Society.
Barbara was preceded by her husband of 50 years, Les, who passed in 2006; brother Hubert Baker in 1998; her mother in 1986; and father in 1970.
Interment was held for both Barbara and Les at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, Wash.
Lewiston Tribune December 25, 2014
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She grew up in Wabash and attended high school there, where she was active in several committees and in band, playing several instruments. After graduating from Noble Township High School, third in her class, Ma left for the big city, where she worked as a payroll clerk and accountant.
Soon after that she enlisted in the U.S. Navy and got transferred to Seattle. She worked in the Public Information Office as a journalist, reporter and photographer. It was at the front gate that she met Leslie Ross Powell. He was working the gate and asked Barbara if he could borrow $5. She gave him the money, and he paid her back.
Les and Barb were married May 3, 1956, at Kelso, Wash., and they started their family soon after. She completed her term and discharged from the Navy. They lived in Bremerton, Wash., for a short time, then the family moved to Cartegena, Spain, where they lived until 1965. The next transfer was to Norfolk, Va,, where they lived briefly before moving to Longview, Texas. Dad retired from the Navy after 20 years and enlisted in the U.S. Army, and he went back to Virginia for four years.
Ma worked full time as a bookkeeper and secretary while in Texas, attended business college, and raised three children alone for most of that time, while Dad was in Asian waters piloting his tug boat. Barbara had many talents, including sewing, and she made wonderful clothes for the family and suits and jackets for Les. Throughout her life, she often played the organ at church, whether in Spain, Texas or Washington state. Dad retired from the Army, and the family moved to Lewiston in 1971.
It was then that both Barb and Les enrolled at Lewis-Clark State College, both graduating; she in 1972 and 1977, in accounting and social, political and behavioral sciences. They were featured in the LCSC magazine Reflections.
She was a great cook. Ma canned food from the garden, including apricot and plum jam from their many trees. Barb's homemade noodles with chicken was the ultimate meal. Les and Barb were a great duo in the kitchen, concocting the best Texas chili ever, and a much-anticipated annual traditional seafood gumbo for friends of Bill W. and from the office. No one ever left hungry. They both were very generous and giving, donating to several causes and helping those in need.
Barbara worked as an accountant at several businesses in Lewiston. She was a certified public accountant and had her own business doing taxes for a number of people for years. She worked at the Carpenters Local No. 398 in Lewiston until Les went to work for the U.S. Civil Service at Fairchild Air Force Base in 1986. They then moved to Airway Heights and Medical Lake, Wash. They lived in Orbis, Germany, from 1987 until 1990, then moved back to Medical Lake, where he continued to work at Fairchild. Barbara worked in the civil service at the base hospital for a couple years, and she was awarded a medal for heroism and bravery in the line of fire by getting people out of the building and into a safe place during a gunman's siege. She even tumbled down a hill like something out of the show "The A-Team."
After retiring, she continued to maintain a wonderful home and work on genealogy. Did someone say genealogy? This was her life's work. She taught classes for beginners to advanced, and she spent a lot of time looking at microfiche, walking around cemeteries and typing. Barbara traced both her own family history, as well as the Powell's, back to the 1500s, and she published the Hapner Family History in 1977, which is in the Library of Congress. She also compiled newspaper abstracts of The Teller and the Lewiston Teller from microfilm and published "Citizens of North Idaho, Volumes One and Two," which are in several libraries across the region. She was a past member and past president of the Twin Rivers Genealogical Society and a past member of the Nez Perce County Historical Society.
Barbara was preceded by her husband of 50 years, Les, who passed in 2006; brother Hubert Baker in 1998; her mother in 1986; and father in 1970.
Interment was held for both Barbara and Les at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, Wash.
Lewiston Tribune December 25, 2014
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Barbara Violetta Baker Powell was born June 8, 1935, in Wabash, Ind., to Hubert C. and Mabel E. Hapner Baker.
She grew up in Wabash and attended high school there, where she was active in several committees and in band, playing several instruments. After graduating from Noble Township High School, third in her class, Ma left for the big city, where she worked as a payroll clerk and accountant.
Soon after that she enlisted in the U.S. Navy and got transferred to Seattle. She worked in the Public Information Office as a journalist, reporter and photographer. It was at the front gate that she met Leslie Ross Powell. He was working the gate and asked Barbara if he could borrow $5. She gave him the money, and he paid her back.
Les and Barb were married May 3, 1956, at Kelso, Wash., and they started their family soon after. She completed her term and discharged from the Navy. They lived in Bremerton, Wash., for a short time, then the family moved to Cartegena, Spain, where they lived until 1965. The next transfer was to Norfolk, Va,, where they lived briefly before moving to Longview, Texas. Dad retired from the Navy after 20 years and enlisted in the U.S. Army, and he went back to Virginia for four years.
Ma worked full time as a bookkeeper and secretary while in Texas, attended business college, and raised three children alone for most of that time, while Dad was in Asian waters piloting his tug boat. Barbara had many talents, including sewing, and she made wonderful clothes for the family and suits and jackets for Les. Throughout her life, she often played the organ at church, whether in Spain, Texas or Washington state. Dad retired from the Army, and the family moved to Lewiston in 1971.
It was then that both Barb and Les enrolled at Lewis-Clark State College, both graduating; she in 1972 and 1977, in accounting and social, political and behavioral sciences. They were featured in the LCSC magazine Reflections.
She was a great cook. Ma canned food from the garden, including apricot and plum jam from their many trees. Barb's homemade noodles with chicken was the ultimate meal. Les and Barb were a great duo in the kitchen, concocting the best Texas chili ever, and a much-anticipated annual traditional seafood gumbo for friends of Bill W. and from the office. No one ever left hungry. They both were very generous and giving, donating to several causes and helping those in need.
Barbara worked as an accountant at several businesses in Lewiston. She was a certified public accountant and had her own business doing taxes for a number of people for years. She worked at the Carpenters Local No. 398 in Lewiston until Les went to work for the U.S. Civil Service at Fairchild Air Force Base in 1986. They then moved to Airway Heights and Medical Lake, Wash. They lived in Orbis, Germany, from 1987 until 1990, then moved back to Medical Lake, where he continued to work at Fairchild. Barbara worked in the civil service at the base hospital for a couple years, and she was awarded a medal for heroism and bravery in the line of fire by getting people out of the building and into a safe place during a gunman's siege. She even tumbled down a hill like something out of the show "The A-Team."
After retiring, she continued to maintain a wonderful home and work on genealogy. Did someone say genealogy? This was her life's work. She taught classes for beginners to advanced, and she spent a lot of time looking at microfiche, walking around cemeteries and typing. Barbara traced both her own family history, as well as the Powell's, back to the 1500s, and she published the Hapner Family History in 1977, which is in the Library of Congress. She also compiled newspaper abstracts of The Teller and the Lewiston Teller from microfilm and published "Citizens of North Idaho, Volumes One and Two," which are in several libraries across the region. She was a past member and past president of the Twin Rivers Genealogical Society and a past member of the Nez Perce County Historical Society.
Barbara was preceded by her husband of 50 years, Les, who passed in 2006; brother Hubert Baker in 1998; her mother in 1986; and father in 1970.
Interment was held for both Barbara and Les at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, Wash.
Lewiston Tribune December 25, 2014
---------------------------------------------------
She grew up in Wabash and attended high school there, where she was active in several committees and in band, playing several instruments. After graduating from Noble Township High School, third in her class, Ma left for the big city, where she worked as a payroll clerk and accountant.
Soon after that she enlisted in the U.S. Navy and got transferred to Seattle. She worked in the Public Information Office as a journalist, reporter and photographer. It was at the front gate that she met Leslie Ross Powell. He was working the gate and asked Barbara if he could borrow $5. She gave him the money, and he paid her back.
Les and Barb were married May 3, 1956, at Kelso, Wash., and they started their family soon after. She completed her term and discharged from the Navy. They lived in Bremerton, Wash., for a short time, then the family moved to Cartegena, Spain, where they lived until 1965. The next transfer was to Norfolk, Va,, where they lived briefly before moving to Longview, Texas. Dad retired from the Navy after 20 years and enlisted in the U.S. Army, and he went back to Virginia for four years.
Ma worked full time as a bookkeeper and secretary while in Texas, attended business college, and raised three children alone for most of that time, while Dad was in Asian waters piloting his tug boat. Barbara had many talents, including sewing, and she made wonderful clothes for the family and suits and jackets for Les. Throughout her life, she often played the organ at church, whether in Spain, Texas or Washington state. Dad retired from the Army, and the family moved to Lewiston in 1971.
It was then that both Barb and Les enrolled at Lewis-Clark State College, both graduating; she in 1972 and 1977, in accounting and social, political and behavioral sciences. They were featured in the LCSC magazine Reflections.
She was a great cook. Ma canned food from the garden, including apricot and plum jam from their many trees. Barb's homemade noodles with chicken was the ultimate meal. Les and Barb were a great duo in the kitchen, concocting the best Texas chili ever, and a much-anticipated annual traditional seafood gumbo for friends of Bill W. and from the office. No one ever left hungry. They both were very generous and giving, donating to several causes and helping those in need.
Barbara worked as an accountant at several businesses in Lewiston. She was a certified public accountant and had her own business doing taxes for a number of people for years. She worked at the Carpenters Local No. 398 in Lewiston until Les went to work for the U.S. Civil Service at Fairchild Air Force Base in 1986. They then moved to Airway Heights and Medical Lake, Wash. They lived in Orbis, Germany, from 1987 until 1990, then moved back to Medical Lake, where he continued to work at Fairchild. Barbara worked in the civil service at the base hospital for a couple years, and she was awarded a medal for heroism and bravery in the line of fire by getting people out of the building and into a safe place during a gunman's siege. She even tumbled down a hill like something out of the show "The A-Team."
After retiring, she continued to maintain a wonderful home and work on genealogy. Did someone say genealogy? This was her life's work. She taught classes for beginners to advanced, and she spent a lot of time looking at microfiche, walking around cemeteries and typing. Barbara traced both her own family history, as well as the Powell's, back to the 1500s, and she published the Hapner Family History in 1977, which is in the Library of Congress. She also compiled newspaper abstracts of The Teller and the Lewiston Teller from microfilm and published "Citizens of North Idaho, Volumes One and Two," which are in several libraries across the region. She was a past member and past president of the Twin Rivers Genealogical Society and a past member of the Nez Perce County Historical Society.
Barbara was preceded by her husband of 50 years, Les, who passed in 2006; brother Hubert Baker in 1998; her mother in 1986; and father in 1970.
Interment was held for both Barbara and Les at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, Wash.
Lewiston Tribune December 25, 2014
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