Paul Barga

1944 - 2022

Paul Barga
November 13, 1944 - March 29, 2022
Olympia, Washington - Paul Joseph Barga must've been born with an angel on his shoulder considering the number of times he should have died. Born to Wilfred and Mary Barga on November 13th, 1944 in Wendell, Idaho with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. It was a miracle Paul survived his own birth. But he did, and quickly grew into a curious and mischievous little boy who terrorized his brothers Bob, Don, Jim, and Fred while adoring his sister, Mary Ellen.
Growing up on a farm in Jerome, Idaho, Paul found and created plenty of 'adventures' with his younger siblings, Mary and Fred, be it "scalping" the silk off every ear of corn in his mother's garden, ensuring the entire crop would fail that year, or digging so many racetracks and tunnels for their toy cars in the potato cellar that the entire structure was near collapsing before his father found out. The biggest 'adventure' occurred when Paul fell headfirst into a narrow cistern while diverting water from one field to another. Alone and unable to pull himself out, Paul was rescued by a still unidentified stranger inexplicably walking across their fields. One would think Paul would be more careful after an incident like that…
Paul was always looking for ways to be helpful; meanwhile, keeping his angel quite busy. On one memorable occasion, he was helping his brother Jim install a large air conditioner in a second floor window when a pully mishap caused the air conditioner to go plummeting down to the earth straight toward his brother. Paul's angel must have been working extra hard to protect him AND his brother, as Paul grabbed the rope bare-handed and stopped the air conditioner in mid-fall. Luckily, both he and his brother lived on to recount this miraculous story for many years.
After graduating high school, Paul joined the Air Force where he was taught morse code and employed as a Radio Operator Intercept. A generous and thoughtful soul, he returned from his time abroad in Greece and Japan with gifts for everyone, a bevy of travel tags on his B-4 bag, and endless tales of his exploits. During his service Paul experienced many firsts, his first travel abroad, first earthquakes, and first time skiing. As with many things, when skiing, Paul learned how to get started, but not how to stop, and the gully at the bottom of the bunny slope was steep enough to stop the children but not the momentum of a full-grown man. When he reached the bottom of the hill he just kept going right over the lip and across the freeway on the other side, only stopping when he fell off the far side of the road. Thankfully, his ever present angel was there to ensure he missed every car on that freeway as he crossed it. Once he finally stopped, Paul removed his skis and swore off the sport forever.
Serving just over 4 years in the Air Force, Paul was honorably discharged in 1969. He returned to Idaho where he earned an AA degree in Computer Programming from Boise State College, back when computers were the size of rooms! And went on to earn a BA in Accounting from Idaho State University in Pocatello. It was during his senior year that he met his future wife, then Elvira (Vera) Leist, at a Newman Center Skate party. She fell on the rink and he made a gallant jump to miss running her over. I guess his angel was looking out for Vera that time.
Paul and Vera married August 11th, 1973 (or was it the 10th? Paul would jibe) and their joint adventures began. They had two daughters, Sarah and Melissa, two years apart just as Paul wanted. Paul loved, lived, and worked for his girls. When they were colicky he would hold them, when they were rambunctious he would be their pony, and Saturday mornings weren't complete without Dad rolling you into a blanket burrito and setting you in front of the morning cartoons while he made pancakes or French toast.
You would think that marriage and a family would cause Paul to be more cautious, but you would be wrong. Money was tight and Paul made do with what he had which led to exploits, like the time he used a circular saw to trim the branches off a tree while standing on a broken ladder, that angel must have been holding him up, though Vera nearly had a heart attack.
Despite the risks he sometimes took, Paul loved his family dearly and thoughtfully prepared his daughters for their own adulthood. He carefully taught them the value of money, pride in your work, education, and independence. He made sure they knew how to cook, earn a living, and support themselves. He was proud of them both for pursuing careers they felt passionately for, a privilege he forewent so that he could provide them with a stable childhood and future.
While their early years were financially precarious, their prospects improved when Paul accepted a job with Washington State's Department of Labor and Industries as a traveling auditor. Paul was dedicated to his work and to providing a more stable home for his family. He also loved the travel involved in the early years of his career. Eventually settling in Olympia, Wa, Paul formed lasting relationships with his co-workers on the Policy Committee, also known as the "Paul"-icy Committee by his friends. He retired after 25 years of service, but continued to plan and participate in lunch get-togethers as a way to stay in touch with his friends there.
In his later years, Paul enjoyed giving generously to those he loved and to organizations he believed in, especially our local food bank and veteran support agencies. He doted on his grand dogs, and enjoyed playing cribbage, watching American Ninja Warrior and Jeopardy with his daughters, and visiting with his friends and former colleagues.
Paul's final days found him surrounded by family. He took his last breaths March 29th, 2022 while watching Jeopardy with his eldest daughter, Sarah, exactly as he would have wanted.
Private memorials are being held for family and friends. Vera, Sarah, and Melissa request that, in leu of flowers, donations be made in his name to Northwest Harvest or a local food bank in your area.