Martin Steven Barber

Dr. Martin Steven "Steve" Barber, MD, passed away on August 9, 2026, at the age of 81. Steve was born on May 21, 1945, in Salem, Oregon, to Delmer and Lois Barber. He grew up in Turner and attended Cascade High School, where he played varsity football, basketball, and baseball, and was Valedictorian of the Class of 1963. He went on to Oregon State University before earning his medical degree at the Oregon Health & Science University, School of Medicine in 1971.

While still in medical school, he married Donna Lee Moore on June 21, 1969. After Steve finished his final two years of medical school at OHSU, the couple moved to San Diego, where he completed his medical and surgical training while serving in the United States Navy (1971-1979). Their three daughters were born in San Diego, and their son was born in Salem while Steve was deployed. In 1979, the family moved to Los Angeles for an oncology fellowship at UCLA, and in 1980 they returned home to Salem, where Steve established his private surgical practice and began working at Salem Hospital.

That same year, the family bought a small farm in Salem, where they would live for over four decades. From that farm, Steve and Donna founded Hylo Tree Farms, which grew to 425 acres and became one of the largest family-owned Christmas tree farms in Oregon. An extremely hardworking and talented surgeon, Steve was as devoted to his patients as he was to his family and farm. Outside of medicine and the farm, he was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing, and boating. Steve loved taking adventures – he had many over the years with Donna and their beloved dog Gus. He traveled to Africa three times during his lifetime.

Steve was married to Donna for 49 years until her death in 2018. He is survived by their four children: Jennifer (Chris) Kean of Newburyport, MA; Benjamin of Bullhead City, AZ; Sara (Brian Weyrauch) Iodice of Auburn, WA; and Angelia (Chris) Schmidt of Cos Cob, CT; by five grandchildren: Nicholas and Katelyn Iodice, Hudson and Amelia Schmidt, and Jett Barber; and by two step-grandchildren, Michael and Haylee Iodice. He is also survived by his siblings, Susan Klauss (Fred) of Kennewick, WA, and Roger Barber (Nancy) of Mount Vernon, WA. He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna, and his parents, Delmer and Lois Barber.

“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

—Theodore Roosevelt

Per his wishes, no services will be held. Steve now rests alongside Donna and their dog, Gus, at their memorial bench in Minto-Brown Island Park.

Assisting the family is Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service.