Barbara Chase

1934 - 2019

Barbara Philen Chase

Barbara Philen Chase died in the comfort of her home at Smith Ranch on Tuesday, September 24th after 2 years of declining health.

Barbara was born in Brownsville, Texas in 1934. She was a graduate of the Hockaday School, class of 1952, in Dallas, Texas. She then did the unthinkable and left Texas to attend Vassar College where she graduated in 1956 with a BA in economics.

After 6 months of travel in Europe, she was enroute to San Francisco aboard the SS Liberte steamship. One of her close friends was dating a Spanish Duke who needed someone to help him ship his Great Dane to America. She asked Barbara since she spoke Spanish and the dog only understood Spanish commands. She met John Chase aboard that boat.

Barbara got a job with Dean Witter & Co as a junior portfolio analyst and spent her free time exploring San Francisco with John. They married in October of 1957, spent a couple years in New York City while John was in military service and returned to San Francisco in 1959.

Barbara and John moved to Marin in 1960 where she raised four children, five dogs, countless chickens, two beehives and a sizeable vegetable garden. For many years she was a docent at the Audubon Canyon Ranch, going into urban schools to teach children about nature. She went to Dominican College for a paralegal degree and spent many years volunteering in the Development Office at the Branson School. Barbara and John enjoyed bird watching, clamming and crabbing on Tomales Bay, backpacking in the high Sierras and sailing on both Tomales and San Francisco Bays. They were active long-time members of the Lagunitas Club and the St Francis and Inverness Yacht Clubs.

Upon John's retirement from the business world, they left their home in Ross and built a ranch in St Helena, CA. There they became one of the earliest breeders of alpacas in California. Upon their 70th birthdays, they left the ranch and moved to Smith Ranch in San Rafael. Barbara was actively involved with a number of member committees and they spent their weekends entertaining in a home in Inverness. Other Smith Ranch gardeners will remember Barbara as the one who grew the fabulous raspberries.

Barbara was incredibly clever and able. She taught herself how to macramé and needlepoint and then learned how to knit when they sheared their alpacas. She created elaborate needlepoint stockings for all eleven of her grandchildren. She and John built their chicken coop and her garden and she learned beekeeping on her own. She made preserves from plums and raspberries and even learned how to pickle cucumbers. She was always busy with crossword puzzles and jigsaw sudokus, but her lifelong passion was caring for John.

Barbara is survived by her husband, John, two daughters: Galen Laughton (Mitchell), Cameron Brugler (Bruce), son, Bruce Chase, eleven grandchildren, and two sisters: Joan Greer (Robert) and Nancy Thompson. Her youngest son, Scott, preceded her in death.

There will be a Life Celebration at the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross on October 13th at 11:30am.

We would also like to thank Kindred caregivers, Jennifer and Carmen for their warmth and devotion. In lieu of flowers, Barbara's family asks you to consider a donation to Hospice by the Bay. They stood by our side through Barbara's final month.