Barbara Ehman October 26, 1925 - December 9, 2014

Barbara Jean (Alford) Ehman was born in Seattle, Washington, to Eugene and Leila Mae (Croft) Alford. She spent her early youth in Spokane and moved to Portland as a teenager. She graduated from Washington High School and Oregon State University.

Barbara met Fred Ehman at a dance at Timberline Lodge, and they were married in 1950. They raised their family in the Portland area and retired to Central Oregon, where they were founding members of the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Sisters.

Fred preceded her in death in 2012. Their love of dancing, travel and spending time with friends and family radiated among all who knew them.

Barbara was active in many causes, including civil rights, Habitat for Humanity, reading to school children, sponsoring exchange students and contributing her skills to many political and social issues that were important to her.

An early member of Friends of Tryon Creek, Barbara worked tirelessly to assure the land would become a state park. In her final years, Barbara was an independent and active resident of Willamette View, where she had many friends.

She is survived by her children Gail, Denise, Diane and Neil; and her eight grandchildren.

Barbara's lasting gift was to donate her body in support of medical education and research as a compassionate alternative to a funeral service. Her family will gather privately to celebrate her life. The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Nature Conservancy, a favorite cause or to a charity of the donor's choice which supports justice and equality for all.