Barbara was the youngest child of Harold S. Steen and Barbara A. Henrikson. She had an older sister Lillian (Steen) Rivetts (9/24/1924 – 7/28/2010) and an older brother Merlin Steen (12/22/1925 – 11/5/1949).
When Barbara was five the family moved from North Dakota to Port Angeles. They remained in Port Angeles until Barbara had finished third grade. They then moved to Seattle. Barbara returned to Port Angeles in 1952 and lived with her sister Lillian to help take care of her two children, Sharon and Jim. She graduated from Port Angeles High School in 1955. After graduating high school, she returned to Seattle and moved back in with her parents.
Barbara met her future husband Ray Shewmaker while performing with her Norwegian dance team. They were married on October 4, 1958.
Barbara and Ray were lifelong members of the Northwest Church of Christ in Seattle, WA.
After her children were in school full time Barbara went to work at Uneeda Pizza. In 1983 she went to work as a cook at ΔΓ (Delta Gamma) in the University of Washington Greek System. She cooked at Delta Gamma for 11 years. She then cooked for ΦΜ (Phi Mu) and ΔΖ (Delta Zeta) retiring in 2005 after a total of 22 years in the Greek System.
Barbara was a longtime supporter of Children’s Orthopedic Hospital, now known as Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Barbara was preceded in death by her brother, Merlin (1949); her mother, Barbara Steen (1963); her father, Harold Steen (1975); her youngest son, Douglas (1996); her husband of 47 years Ray, (2003); her sister, Lillian (2010) and her eldest son, Gregory (2021).
She is survived by her son, Jeffery, (Karen) of Portland, Oregon; grandchildren: Darcy Lowe, Erin Ridings, Scott Shewmaker, Kyle Shewmaker, Katy Shewmaker, Joel Shewmaker; and great-grandchildren: Alexis Ridings, Aurora Ridings, Brooks Shewmaker and Nash Shewmaker.
There will be a memorial service Saturday, May 21 at 2:00 pm at the Northwest Church,
19820 Scriber Lake Road, Lynnwood, WA 98036.
Burial will be at Acacia Memorial Park, Seattle, WA
The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to:
Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation
M/S 818-F
PO Box 5371
Seattle, WA 98145-5005
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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