Barbara Bohannon Carleton

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Mills College

Barbara Carleton Obituary

Barbara Bohannon Carleton Passed away peacefully at home on December 29, 2006. Daughter of the late David D. Bohannon and Ophelia E. Bohannon of Woodside, CA, she was born on October 18, 1926 in Berkeley. She lived most of her life on the Peninsula, graduating from Park School, San Mateo, and in 1944, from Sequoia High School in Redwood City. She attended Mills College in Oakland, then married and lived in Southern California for 14 years. She then returned to the Peninsula and has lived in Woodside since 1980. She was a member of Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club since 1963. Flower arranging and gardening were lifelong interests and she was an honorary member of the Woodside Hills Garden Club. The Club and its members brought her much joy. She also served as a docent at the Filoli Center and gardens for four years before retiring to travel abroad extensively, far and wide. She was named a Trustee of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in 1996 and the Museums became the main focus of her life. Having served the maximum three terms, she retired from the Board in April 2005. Despite a serious heart condition, she was happy to achieve her wish to live to see the opening of the new M. H. de Young Museum. Throughout her life, she was exceptionally generous to friends and family, particularly supporting educational goals. Believing firmly that an opportunity to help another is a gift, she took great pleasure in contributing to many philanthropic causes. She is survived by a daughter, Alida Latham, and husband, Christopher Latham, of Seattle. Another daughter, Gabrielle Mandahl died in 1982, at the age of 31, in a climbing accident in France. She is also survived by her sister, Frances Nelson; brother, David E. Bohannon; nieces, Patricia Nelson Atassi, Linda Nelson Davis, Lisa Bohannon and Ophelia Bohannon; nephews, David D. Bohannon II, Scott Bohannon, Jeremiah Bohannon and Robert Bohannon. There will be no service. Contributions in her memory can be made to Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco or Second Harvest Food Bank of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.

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Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Dec. 31, 2006 to Jan. 1, 2007.

Memories and Condolences
for Barbara Carleton

3 Entries

Nick Gunderson

January 7, 2007

As one who had intermittent contact with Barbara, one very postive and prominent trait of hers was her posture towards the world. You could sense her tough charm across any room, just being a total stranger.

But sitting down with her,you could got a better idea of where control began. With her.That's where. And she knew what to do with herself because of it.

Mostly felt I was speaking with, say, a Mrs Abraham Lincoln-and whatever smiles she gave during a conversation with me, was engraved with a small moment of good fun she was having, listening and parsing the trivia coming from my corner.This was a vocal dance she appeared to love about people.

I saw her as a tireless patron of high taste both in her artistic interests and her personal bearing bears this out. Active to the end and pretty annoyed at being sidelined with heart troubles, she joined hands with herself, making her medical issues more dreamlike than they were.

One might look to her daughter, Alida and her husband Christopher, for playing a major part in her scrappy longevity. Both have been conscripted into a life-long vigilence towards the art community and this comes from Barbara's singular influence and big-handed direction.

I'll miss seeing her sitting in a chair, waiting for the next conversation to start. Never shirking from word play, we can only imagine who's getting straightened out about now.

Thanks Barbara.
Nick Gunderson

Nichol Dilda

January 2, 2007

Words cannot express the Aloha and appreciation I have for Barbara, she may have not traveled to Hawaii often, but she was like family to me.
I met Barbara when I was a little girl. My great-grandmother, Emily Ho (aka: Honey Ho), were great friends.
Whenever Barbara came in to town she would always take us out to lunch. I remember the last luncheon so clearly, which was at Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki.
I thank her so much for her tremendous support and encouragement to finish college. If it wasn't for my loving grandmother, Honey, and Barbara I probably wouldn't have completed school.
As mentioned in the article, Barbara was a strong believer in furthering education, she always stressed the importance of college to me. It was through her tremendous generosity that I was able to complete my education. I will always be forever grateful to Barbara Carleton and I feel honored to have known such a remarkable woman as she.
As always, I thank her from the bottom of my heart for everything!
Like the words to the song "I will remember you," by Don Ho, Barbara, you will be remembered in my heart always.

Mahalo Nui Loa,
Nichol

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