July 11, 1912-May 2, 2014
On May 2nd, after a brief illness, longtime Carmel resident, Barbara Lachmund, passed away at CHOMP, a little more than two months short of her 102nd birthday. Her daughter, Linda, and son-in-law Jackson Smith, her caregivers for many years, were at her side.
Born in San Francisco July 11, 1912 to Charles W. Umland and Ida Louise Randall, one of six children, Barbara followed in her mother’s footsteps to become a registered nurse, graduating from St. Mary’s School of Nursing in 1932. For a time she supervised the pediatric floor of St. Mary’s Hospital. She was the quintessential nurse, competent and caring, and later was in demand for private duty nursing in San Francisco. She practiced her “art” in one way or another for her whole life, managing private cases and volunteering her skills for friend and neighbor alike.
On holiday with fellow nurses to Carmel in the summer of 1937, she met Harry G. Lachmund at Carmel’s old community gathering place, Whitney’s. It was love at first sight for both. They were married in 1939. Harry, a research scientist and true Carmel spirit, was a son of Mabel Gray Young, one of Carmel’s Bohemian pioneers. Thus began Barbara’s introduction into the transformative values of “Old Carmel”… simple living, love of Nature, free thinking, creativity and generosity. She took to the adventure enthusiastically, including helping Harry build their Carmel Valley cabin haven by the river, while Linda, born in 1947, was a baby. Through Harry she became friends with many of Carmel’s old-timers, and artistic and literary luminaries, for a while collaborating with local artist Phil Nesbitt in an arts and crafts business in the Court of the Golden Bough. After Mabel’s death in 1949, the family moved into the Carmel cottage, where Barbara expressed her other love, sewing, and started a successful home based “invisible reweaving” business.
A wonderful wife and mother, everyone who entered Barbara’s life experienced her incredible capacity for friendship. Throughout her life she was a soft place to land for many, giving solace and common sense advice from her deep well of intuitive and practical wisdom. Hospitable and fun loving, she was frugal with herself but generous with others. “Caring and sharing” was her motto. After Harry’s death in 1969, she volunteered at the Cherry Foundation, the Harrison Library, the Carmel Foundation, and avidly supported the work of Monterey Pine Forest Watch. She was passionate about Peace, a lover of beautiful music, literature, Nature and gardens, homemaking, and walking. She leaves her grateful daughter Linda and son in law Jackson and a host of nieces and nephews. Right until the end, her friends loved to hear stories of her unique and fascinating life. She will be greatly missed.
The family would like to thank the medical staff at CHOMP, who took such good care of Barbara at the end, and Ana Almazan, who helped care for her these past few years. In her memory, she would want you to give to your favorite charity and to be a friend to someone in need. Final arrangements were under the direction of The Paul Mortuary. A mass will be said for her at 8am on June 2nd at the Carmelite Monastery off Highway 1. A memorial is pending…
Arrangements under the direction of The Paul Mortuary, Pacific Grove, CA.
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