Barbara “Bobby” McPheeters Kinchen
Barbara “Bobby” McPheeters Kinchen passed away peacefully on January 1, 2017 in Mountain View, CA. She was born in Mountain View on June 29, 1920, the daughter of John Luther McPheeters of Missouri and Ada Elizabeth McPheeters (nee Swall) of Mountain View. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Kinchen, her daughter, Peggy Lee Parkinson, and her brothers, George Lester and Perry McPheeters of Mountain View. She is survived by her twin sister, Elizabeth “Betty” Engberg of Mountain View, her son James Kinchen (Elaine) of Volcano, CA, her daughter Barbara Nitzberg (Allan) of San Francisco, son-in-law David Parkinson of B.C., Canada, three grandchildren, Ceri Parkinson and Ben Parkinson of B.C., Canada, Katrina Kinchen of Hellertown, PA and three great-grandchildren.
Barbara was a second generation Mountain View native with a long family history in Santa Clara Valley. She was born and raised in Mountain View, graduated from Mountain View High School in 1938 and San Jose State College in 1942. She was a civilian dietician for the U.S. Army during WWII, and married a career Army soldier. The family lived many places in the U.S. until her husband’s death in 1957. She then obtained her teaching credential and taught home economics at Mountain View High School. After retiring, she was a caregiver to her mother and was able to devote more time to her three favorite interests - weaving, family genealogy, and Mountain View history. She joined the Mountain View Pioneer and Historical Association, became a board member, and was appointed the Mountain View city historian. A friend described her as “a walking encyclopedia of Mountain View knowledge”. She loved, was loved and will be greatly missed.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances in Barbara’s name can be made to the Mountain View Pioneer and Historical Association, P.O. Box 252 Mountain View, CA 94042, or a charity of your choice. A private burial is being arranged with Spangler Morturaries. Celebration of life service to be announced.