Barbara Emaline Shibley

Estacada resident, Barbara Shibley, died peacefully on Thursday, April 20, 2023 surrounded by her family. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM Saturday, May 6, at Rose City Park Presbyterian Church in Portland, OR. Barbara was born in Denver, CO and moved to Klamath Falls, OR when she was 3 years old. Barbara graduated from Klamath Union High School in 1955. She attended Lewis and Clark College and graduated in 1959 with Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion. While at Lewis and Clark, Barbara met Gilbert Shibley. Barbara and Gilbert were married on November 27, 1959 in Klamath Falls. Barbara and Gilbert raised four children while Gilbert completed a doctoral program in Biology at University of Oregon and taught at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. They returned to Oregon in 1975. Barbara had a long career in Presbyterian church education. She served at four Presbyterian Churches located in Eugene, OR, Appleton, WI, and Portland, OR. Barbara served as president of the American Association of Presbyterian Church Educators from 1980 to 1982 and received their Life Achievement Award in 2001. She earned a Master of Arts Degree in Community Leadership: Adult Christian Community Development from Regis University in Denver, CO in 1993. After retiring as Church Education and Program Administrator at Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, Barbara served on the Estacada Public Library Foundation Board and was Executive Director of the Estacada Area Food Bank from 2008 to 2017. Barbara found inspiration in art, music, nature, children, and literature. She was a prolific reader and loved to exchange books, poetry, and non-fiction writing with her children and grandchildren. In recent years, Barbara’s grandchildren would share their college syllabi with her, and she would read philosophy, history, literature, and poetry along with them. Barbara had a deep love for her family, and she will be greatly missed. Barbara is survived by her husband of 63 years, her four children and their spouses, seven grandchildren and their spouses/partners, and two great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Estacada Area Food Bank or your local library.