Barbara Jean Hutton

After a life well lived, Barbara Jean (Yoder) Hutton, 90, went to her heavenly father in the early hours of February 5, 2023. She passed away peacefully in her sleep while under hospice care and the love of her family. Barbara was born on January 6, 1933, the youngest of 4 children born to Lewis and Emily Yoder of Williamsburg, Iowa. She had fond memories and stories of her home in Williamsburg, we will miss her reminding us that she was a ‘simple small town Iowa girl.’ She had great love for family, faith, learning, music, nature, and helping others less fortunate than herself. While in school she was involved in choir, drama and played flute in the Iowa All State Band. Barbara also served as Senior Class President. She went on to attend the University of Dubuque and earned a degree in Elementary Education. She continued to enjoy music and toured the Midwest with her university choir, she was also selected for the Homecoming court. It was at Dubuque that she met the love of her life, Peter Hutton. While she was waiting tables in the university commons cafeteria, rather than return an extra piece of pie to the kitchen she gave it to a hungry young seminarian. Peter assumed it was because she liked him, and the rest is history. Both Barbara and Peter graduated from Dubuque in 1954 and were married 2 weeks later. Barbara taught 4th grade for 3 years in Lodi, Wisconsin while Peter served as pastor at the Presbyterian Church. In 1957 they moved west to Grandview, Washington, where Peter served as pastor of Bethany Presbyterian Church, and daughters Beth and Julie arrived. Barbara was very active in church and community activities while raising their girls. She taught Sunday School, sang in the church choir, and worked in the Women’s Association. In 1965 Barbara returned to the elementary classroom. In 1966 the Hutton’s moved to Corvallis, Oregon where Peter served as Pastor at Calvin Presbyterian Church. Barbara went back to school and earned a Master’s degree in Extreme Learning Problems at the Oregon College of Education. She taught special education in the Corvallis School district starting in 1967, and then returned to the classroom in 1975 at Adams and Wilson Elementary schools, where she taught for another 16 years. She was active in the Corvallis Education Association and was a delegate to the state representative council. She later participated in the women’s education society known as Delta Kappa Gamma, which kept her busy as Vice President and Corresponding Secretary. After Peter retired from Calvin Church in 1987 he accepted a ‘temporary’ position at First Presbyterian Church of Corvallis which lasted several years, Barbara and Peter remained active members of First Pres ever since. Barbara and Peter enjoyed traveling and especially learning about the cultures of their ancestors. They took trips to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England, Scotland and Greece, and a cruise to Alaska. Trips to visit family in Iowa and Minnesota were also frequent. She had a great appreciation and love for nature that included bird watching, hiking in wilderness areas, visits to the ocean, building her own telescope to see the stars and planets, and tending to her beautiful garden of herbs, flowers, and delicious blueberries. She was also proud of Peter’s abundant vegetable garden and made sure any overabundance was shared with neighbors and the community food pantry. Most of all Barbara loved her family, she always made sure we knew how much she loved us throughout our lives and supported and encouraged us to follow our dreams and aspirations. She loved hearing and sharing news about her large extended family throughout her life and always appreciated a good phone call. She was also very grateful for the loving relationship she had with her son-in-law Ramon who was extremely supportive to her, especially during her later years. She was preceded in death by her parents Emily and Lewis Yoder, sister Betty Zimmerman, sister Shirley Drennan, and brother Robert Yoder. She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Rev. Peter Hutton, daughter Beth Hutton, daughter Julie Gonzalez, son-in-law Ramon Gonzalez (all of Corvallis), and 14 nieces and nephews. We want to thank Lumina Hospice for the loving care they gave to Mom, and to us, over the past few months. We are also grateful for the care and support given to her by the caregivers at Stoneybrook Assisted Living. Memorial Plans are not yet finalized. For those wishing to make a memorial donation in her memory, one of Barbara’s favorite local non-profit organizations was Community Outreach, Inc. (COI), however any unexpected act of kindness to someone less fortunate would bring a smile from her in heaven.

Barbara Jean Hutton

January 6, 1933 - February 5, 2023