Barbara Farnsworth

Barbara (Rawling) Farnsworth

July 9, 1946 – October 14, 2020

Barbara (Rawling) Farnsworth, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on October 14, 2020, from complications of liver disease.

Barbara was born on July 9, 1946, in Wenatchee, Washington to Russell "Shorty" and Ivy Rawling. She attended Whitman Elementary, H.B. Ellison Jr. High, and Wenatchee Senior High (Class of 1964). Barbara then attended Wenatchee Valley College and Central Washington State College, where she earned her teaching degree.

During the Vietnam War, Barbara's church fellowship group wrote to soldiers stationed in Vietnam. Barbara started corresponding regularly with a soldier named Michael Farnsworth. That correspondence grew into a relationship and after Mike returned home, they married in 1971.

After brief stops in Richland, Washington and Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Barbara and Mike settled in Portland, Oregon, to raise their family. Barbara eventually became a secretary for Portland Public Schools working at Grout Elementary, Hosford Middle School, and Hayhurst Elementary. Barbara was well-known for her commitment to the school community and her kindness and warmth to the students. After her retirement, Barbara and Mike moved to Lebanon, Oregon.

Barbara was an avid quilter and scrap booker. These hobbies led her to friendships that extended as far away as New Zealand and Australia. Barbara and Mike also hosted many foreign exchange students over the years, building relationships that span many countries. Barbara also enjoyed genealogy research, discovering many interesting facts and stories about her family tree.

A devoted follower of Jesus, Barbara attended Lebanon Calvary Chapel, enjoying the fellowship with her friends there. She was known for her humor, warmth, and hospitality.

In her later years, Barbara, known to the children in her life as "Mimi," was a loving grandmother, making handmade gifts and crafts, playing games, and volunteering at the local grade schools.

Barbara is survived by her husband, Mike, daughters Jocelyn and Laura, four grandchildren, and her sister Patricia.