Barbara Ann Springer

Barbara Ann Springer was born March 17, 1936 to Elsie and Fred Gilmore in San Antonio, Texas. As a young child her family relocated to Long Beach, California so her father could start a career with the Standard Oil Company. Eventually the family moved to Oregon where her dad worked for the Bethlehem Steel Company and she grew up in Milwaukie where she graduated from Milwaukie High School.

As a teenager, Barbara fell in love with the sport of downhill skiing and usually spent most weekends in the winter at Timberline. To pay for her lift passes, she would work on her cousin, Fred Siri’s, farm doing chores. Barbara was an avid downhill skier and skied well into her seventies!

After High School she worked at Meier and Frank in downtown Portland. She had a good friend and coworker in Jeanette who actually set her up on a blind double date. It was at this date that she met the love of her life, Ken Springer. The only problem was, on the double date, they were “assigned” to the other person, but they eventually got that sorted out and Ken and Barbara started dating, and were married on September 1, 1956. They raised their family in NE Portland.

As the Springer family grew and the children were older, Barbara began working for the Portland School District as a Special Education Aid. She greatly enjoyed this career and worked for the school systems for many years.

Barbara is predeceased by her parents, Elsie and Fred Gilmore, Brother Walt Gilmore and her beloved husband Ken Springer.

She leaves to cherish her memory children: Ron, Randy (Kim) and Rochelle (Mark). Grandchildren: Brandon, Aaron, Matthew, Lindsay and Steven. Great Grandchildren: Peyton, Olivia, Grace, Faith and Christian. And many nieces, nephews, extended family members and special friend from Idaho, Nancy Valuef.

Barbara touched many lives with her big heart and generosity. She will always be remembered as woman with a radiant smile and a beautiful soul.