Barbara Dallmann

Barbara died Sunday, July 24, at home in Alsea, in the company of family. She was born in Bryn Mawr, Pa., to Catherine and John Malcolm, moved to California as a teenager, and graduated from Terra Linda High School in San Rafael in 1964. She attended the University of California, Davis, where she met Charles Dallmann. They spent two years in Mexico, where she made many friends and learned Spanish. Their first child, Maxine, was born in 1966 in Mexico. The couple returned to California in 1967, and subsequently lived and worked in Oakland, Venice Beach and Berkeley. Barbara graduated Phi Beta Kappa in linguistics from UC Berkeley in 1973. The family then settled on what she always referred to as “The Beautiful Land” in Alsea in 1974. Because she was such a quiet and private person, if she had written her own obituary, it would have ended here. However, she began a new life in Alsea. After the birth of Emily in 1977 and Moses in 1979, she rededicated her life to her family and community. She became active in the Alsea Preschool, and served on the board of the Alsea Rural Health Care Clinic for 30 years, 26 as treasurer. She became a Cub Scout den mother, and volunteered as an English as a second language teacher of Spanish-speaking members of the community. She also served on the board of Habitat for Humanity, and assisted many low-income families in achieving their home-ownership goals. She offered assistance to anyone who needed help, whatever their circumstances, and encouraged her children in whatever their interests with an open mind and without judgment. In fact, she spent much of her spare time volunteering to help others. She worked for many years in the restaurant business as a waitress, manager and bookkeeper. Barbara delivered the Corvallis Gazette-Times to Alsea and Lobster Valley for four years, and never missed a day. However, her true vocation was in assisting people in finding adequate housing in Benton and Linn counties, as office manager, bookkeeper and finally director of financial and administrative services for Willamette Neighborhood Housing Services in downtown Corvallis. She retired this month, after 14 years. Barbara loved gardening, and spent many satisfying hours raising her plants from seed to final crop. She enjoyed traveling, and visited Italy, Greece, Turkey and many locations throughout the United States. She was an avid reader of all types of literature, and often attended concerts, theater and opera locally and throughout Oregon. She liked to stay home and eat her husband’s cooking, but most of all, she enjoyed time with her family. She is survived by her husband of 45 years, Charles; daughters, Maxine Hanson and Emily Taylor; son, Moses; mother, Catherine Malcolm; brother, Paul Malcolm; sister, Lois Ijams; and grandchildren, Ruby, John and Jacoby. She very much wanted to thank the nurses at Samaritan Ambulatory, especially Joan, and Benton Hospice Service nurse, Cadie. At her request, no formal services will be held. The family suggests donations to Alsea Rural Health Care in care of Mary Ann Carr, 435 E. Alder St., Alsea, OR 97324. May her example inspire others to volunteer their time freely to worthy causes.

Barbara Dallmann

July 5, 1946 - July 24, 2011