Barbara J. Hummel

Barbara Jean (Keating) Hummel passed away on November 21, 2010, at the Marquis at Shasta in Redding.

Barbara Jean was born in Orland, California, on September 12, 1926.

Both her parents died when she was a young child and Barbara and her sister, Maxine, were legally adopted by an aunt and uncle (Elva and Raymond Jackson).

Barbara attended the old Redding Elementary school on Pine Street, and went on to graduate from Shasta High. In 1948 Barbara went to Mercy Nursing College in Sacramento where she received a master's degree in 1949. After College, Barbara moved back to Redding and worked at the old Mercy hospital at Pine and Sacramento streets. In 1951 she became the Director of nurses at State General hospital. There she worked for 5 years. After leaving State General, Barbara worked for the next 30 years as an Industrial Nurse at U.S. Plywood in Anderson.

In 1950, she married Gordon Hummel. In 1985, Gordon and Barbara retired in Trinity Center where they were very active in community affairs. After Gordon had a severe stroke, Barbara cared for him until his death in 2002. Barbara remained in Trinity Center until her health deteriorated, at which point she relocated to Weaverville and then Redding.

Barbara was preceded in death by her biological parents, William Keating and Hazel Edna Unzicken; her step-parents, Raymond and Elva Jackson; her son, Eric, who died at the age of 5 from kidney disease; her husband, Gordon; and her sister, Maxine DeBoer. Barbara was the last link in Trinity County to the Jackson family and its history (Jake Jackson Museum).

Barbara was a caregiver by nature. She had an uncanny ability to remember everyone she met, who their family was, and how they connected within the community. Barbara will be missed by many.

A graveside service will be held on December 2, 2010 at 2 pm at

Lawncrest Cemetery on East Cypress in Redding.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Shriners Children's Hospital in Sacramento.