Barbara Liddell

1938-2017

Surrounded by her loving family, Barbara Liddell passed away from complications of leukemia on Monday, December 4.

She arrived in San Francisco on VJ Day and over the years has lived in several Bay Area communities. She graduated from The Principia Upper School in St. Louis and from Stanford University. She had graduate degrees in French and Special Education and was advanced to candidacy for a doctorate in Education Policy Analysis at Stanford, but did not complete her dissertation.

Barbara devoted her professional life to public education. She was a teacher for fourteen years in Orinda, an elementary school Principal and Director of Administrative Services in Hillsborough, Assistant Superintendent in Piedmont, and finished her career after twelve years as Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in Palo Alto. She subsequently organized and implemented the Kindergarten Take Home Book program in forty-nine schools in San Francisco. She was a member of the Metropolitan Club, serving on its Board of Directors for three years.

Once retired, she devoted much of her time to the Asian Art Museum as a docent, giving tours to adults and students and serving on many committees. She traveled widely in Asia with Museum groups and the Society For Asian Art, a museum affiliated group, in which she was active and a Board Member. Her most recent travels were in Europe.

A devoted mother and grandmother, for the past ten years her greatest pleasure was spending time several days a week with her daughter Tia and grandchildren Kieran and Cameron. They spent many hours together reading and playing, and she was very proud to have taught Kieran to ride a two-wheel bike when he was only three.

Barbara had many friends and colleagues who were quite important to her and were very supportive in the last days of her life. She considered herself very fortunate to have lived a fulfilling, meaningful life.

She is survived by her daughter Tia Liddell Ivery, son in law Sean Ivery and grandsons Kieran and Cameron Ivery.

Donations in her name can be made to the San Francisco Asian Art Museum Docent Committee.