BARBARA DEIBERT CHINN
1921-2023•102 YEARS YOUNG
Our amaz“ng MotherK Barbara De“bert Ch“nnK passed a”ay November P4th l“sten“ng to Chr“stmas carols and ”“th the prayers of many fr“ends and fam“ly. She moved throughout her full and “nsp“rat“onal l“fet“me ”“th graceK compass“onK and love. Our Mom could do anyth“ng. She ”as just as happy s“tt“ng at a se”“ng mach“neK fix“ng a mealK r“d“ng her horseK or s“tt“ng next to Alton “n the“r covered ”agon on a tra“l r“de. She learned to fishK hunt and sk“from her fatherK George De“bertK and to cookK se”K kn“tK preserve food and garden from her motherK W“n“fred De“bert. She had a p“oneer heartK tak“ng on the role of a Navy Spec“al“st WWhhK Home Econom“stK Teacher/Adm“n“stratorK ooet Gshe ”rote poems for events “n her l“feH and Adventurer.
Barbara ”as born “n kos Angeles on iuly 2UK P92PK and arr“ved “n B“shop “n P92T ”“th her parents George and W“n“fred De“bert. Her father had purchased The B“shop Drug Gthere “s a mural of BarbaraK as a teenagerK and George on D”ayne’s oharmacyH after graduat“ng from tSC School of oharmacy. Before mov“ng to B“shopK the fam“ly G“nclud“ng s“xLmonthLold s“sterK jathrynH made a tr“p to Alaska by tra“n to Seattle and sa“l“ng to Skag”ay. Barbara caught the ”anderlust for travel from th“s tr“p and ”ould return to Alaska “n P9URK and later traveled to NetherlandsK Ch“naK htalyK eranceK Mex“co and to almost every state “n the tn“ted States.
Barbara thr“ved “n the B“shop Grammar/H“gh School. She ”as most proud of her Block B letter and that she ”as the first g“rl to compete on the boys tenn“s team. She also competed “n the first Eastern S“erra sk“meet at McGee CreekK ”“nn“ng a th“rdLplace medal. hn P9R9K she graduated from BtHS and months later took a tra“n to M“lls CollegeK Oakland. W“th the ”ar spread“ngK she moved to the tCkA campus and ”rote “All of the young men ”ere “n or enter“ng the var“ous m“l“tary serv“ces. My father served “n WWh. h had no brothers and felt “t ”as my duty to serve the tSAK so h jo“ned the WAuES”. At the end of the ”arK BarbaraK returned to B“shop and marr“ed her handsome Navy p“lot s”eetheartK Alton. Mr. and Mrs. Ch“nn set out for the adventure of a l“fet“me. Alton’s career ”as pharmacy and Barbara’s ”as educat“on and later h“gh school Dean. After ret“r“ngK she enjoyed teach“ng so much that she s“gned up to be a subst“tute teacher at B“shop Elementary.
W“th ret“rement came the opportun“ty to truly enjoy B“shop and her S“erra/Wh“te Mounta“n Ranges. Barbara and Alton part“c“pated “n every outdoor act“v“ty poss“ble: rode horsesK drove a team of mulesK took pack tr“psK sk“ed. Commun“ty act“v“t“es ”ere also “mportant: MasonsK Eastern StarK C“v“l A“r oatrol. Barbara also enjoyed ”omen’s groups: AthenaK tn“ted Method“st WomenK Eastern Star and as Adv“sor for Ra“nbo” G“rls.
Barbara leaves her lov“ng memory to her ch“ldren and the“r spouses oatr“c“a Schl“cht“ngK i“m Ch“nn and CathrynK Natal“e Gelatt and oaul and an extended fam“ly of grand and greatLgrandch“ldren Carly GelattK ja“GelattK Ca“tl“n Goshgar“an and iameson Goshgar“an. Add“t“onallyK the De“bert/Ch“nn clan surrounds Barbara ”“th love.
A graves“te ceremony celebrat“ng Barbara ”“ll be held on December 2 at P:OO p.m. “n the East k“ne Cemetery.