Obituary

Barbara Jean (Taylor) Schleede
May 30, 1932--July 3, 2021 (age 89)

Barbara Jean Schleede (Taylor) passed peacefully from this world on July 3, 2021, surrounded by her family. A celebration of life will be at a later date when it is safer to gather together.

Barbara was born on May 30, 1932, in Snoqualmie, WA to Robert and Irene Taylor. Their second daughter, she joined older sister Beverly and was later joined by siblings Dale, Bertie & Merly.

Barbie, as she was known, spent her early years living in the Snoqualmie Valley roaming the hills around her family's home. Barbara loved that part of the country and went back regularly for many years. In 1947 her family relocated from North Bend, Wa. to College Place, Wa., where her parents owned the Malt Shop, a local hangout for students at Walla Walla University. She was raised Seventh Day Adventist and had a very personal relationship with the Lord throughout her life. She graduated from Auburn Adventist Academy where she made many lifelong friends in 1951.

Back in College Place, Barbara met Wally Schleede, a handsome man with wavy black hair and an infectious sense of humor from the neighboring town of Milton-Freewater. He loved hanging out and "working" with her at her parents Malt Shop and she quickly realized he was the genuine thing. On December 28, 1952, Wally and Barbara were married in College Place, WA. They eventually settled in Pendleton where they both remained until they passed.

On December 6, 1954, their first daughter Kathryn was born followed by daughters Becki and Linda and finally on what Barbara vowed would be her last child, a son, Richard arrived. A stay-at-home mom, Barbara was very involved with her children's school and social activities and their friends were always welcomed into her home. Everybody wanted to come to her house!

Once Richard started school, Barbara was ready to go back to work and went to work in food service for the local school district. She worked first at Washington then West Hills School until it closed and she was transferred to Sunridge Middle School where she remained until she retired. She watched many Pendleton kids grow up and kept tabs on many of them as adults.

Barbara loved to sew, first making dresses and Barbie doll clothes for her daughters and early in the 70's shifting to quilt making. She quickly became hooked and started making quilts out of any fabric she could get her hands on. She joined the local quilting group, the Blue Mountain Piece Makers Guild, where she was a long-time member including a stint or two in the President position. She loved fellowshipping with others who also were hooked on quilting and attended many events, classes, shows, and gatherings with others suffering from the quilting infliction! She made a lot of friends who remained friends for life. She loved her quilting friends very much and looked so forward to the twice yearly retreats to the Meacham Hotel. She loved the camaraderie she found in later years quilting weekly with the ladies at the Lutheran Church and at the Pilot Rock Grange. Her quilting buddies were some of her dearest held friends. While her family both immediate and extended, are blessed with many of her handmade treasures she also donated hundred and hundreds of quilts of all sizes to numerous charities including Ronald McDonald House, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Quilts of Valor, Saving Grace, Safe Haven and Cason's Place to name a few. She made quilts for many teachers and for friends of her kids and grandkids. Her quilts in all colors, patterns, and sizes are spread all over the country and beyond and have provided warmth and comfort to someone when they needed it most. Her family still practices passing certain "shared" quilts around the family so everyone has a chance to enjoy them. The year of she and Wally's 50th wedding anniversary, she made everyone in the family a new bed sized Christmas quilt and several years ago at a family reunion she finished 23 quilts that were shared with family members from across the country. She was beyond generous with her art donating many wall hangings and quilts to a variety of charity auctions over the years. In 1993, as a member of the Blue Mountain Piece Makers Quilt Guild she and daughter Kathi were thrilled to participate in piecing and quilting the Oregon Trail Sesquicentennial Commemorative Quilt.

While she loved quilting and in fact it's what gave her a purpose after losing her Wally Bear in 2007 and oldest daughter and fellow quilter Kathi in 2011, she ADORED being a Gram and Great Gram. When she learned of the impending arrival of her first grandson, she vowed to be the best Gram ever and she was that and more. She loved each of her seven grands and five great grands deeply and unconditionally. She took them on adventures, taught them tips and tricks, made them the coolest birthday cakes and beautiful quilts and was always available to just listen and share some of her wisdom. She loved each of them for the individual humans that they are, and they loved their Gram fiercely.

She loved going for a drive in the mountains and going to Wallowa Lake or Emigrant Springs. She loved going to the ocean and successfully executed many family vacations to Beachside. She loved jazz and classical music and had a huge stack of CD's next to her sewing machine. She loved to listen to audio books while quilting. An avid reader of both print and audio books, she was a frequent patron at the local library. She loved going camping. She had an incredible memory when it came to people. She didn't like people to call her sweetie or honey! She loved everything royal. She loved going to GP for lunch and they knew her order by heart! She loved the Westward Ho Parade. She love OPB. She loved paragliding at Wallowa Lake. She loved reading. She loved the Olympics. She loved fall time. She loved having the WHOLE family home for the holidays. She was the original Macgyver when it came to making something out of nothing. She loved to have a little stitching project with her wherever she went. She loved a good visit with a dear friend or loved one. She loved her Lord Jesus. She loved chocolate the MOST! But, more than anything, even more than chocolate, she loved spending time with her family and cherished those times the most. Our family gatherings will never be the same without Gram who we will forever miss.