Obituary of Barbara June Whaley

Barbara June Whaley, age 94, of Ontario, OR died peacefully September 3, 2023 in Ontario, OR. Arrangements are under the direction of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Payette, Idaho.  Barbara J. Whaley passed away September 3, 2023 from natural causes at the age of 94, in Wellsprings Assisted Living, Ontario, OR. She was born in Primghar, Iowa in 1929, as the 8^th child of ten to Jess Fellows and Lura (Albers) Fellows.

 

During her teenage years, she worked wrapping turkey heads before they were shipped, and processing powdered dehydrated eggs for a processing plant.  Barbara worked setting up pins at a small bowling alley which her father ran.  She was receiving training to become a country school teacher, but canceled those plans when she fell in love.  She graduated in 1947 from Ravenna High School in Ravenna, NE.

 

In August 21^st, 1947, she married Harry E. Whaley in Ravenna, NE at her parent’s house.  In 1950, they moved with their two boys, Tom and Stephen, to Payette, Idaho.  They had three daughters: Patty, Yvonne and Deanna, to join the family on a 25 acre farm. 

Barbara worked, thinning fruit for Wally Davis in Payette, ID.  She ran an evening paper route for the Evening Statesman Newspaper—which entailed driving 72 miles daily from New Plymouth, ID to Vale, OR and back to Ontario and Payette.  She brought paper bundles to the paper boys and had her own customer route along the way. Her son Stephen and daughter Yvonne helped her.

 

She was Den Mother for the Boy Scouts of America in the 1960’s along with being a Leader of the Bluebirds.  Barbara volunteered at the Payette County voting precinct.  She accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.

 

In 1970, they sold the farm and moved to McCall, Idaho.  Winters there were not to her liking, so they moved in 1975 to Emmett, ID to buy a fruit orchard.  She traveled with her husband promoting Idaho apples to various places around the country for the Idaho Apple Commission.  Later, they purchased an RV Park in Dateland, AZ.  They ran both ventures until 1996. From 1996-2011, they lived in Ontario, OR enjoying a 1 acre lot with lots of gardens and fruit trees. After Harry passed in 2010 she sold the house and moved to an apartment in Payette, ID.  Barbara has been residing at Wells Springs Assisted Living since 2016.

 

She was preceded in death by her parents:  Jess and Lura Fellows; husband:  Harry; son:  Stephen; and siblings:  Earl Fellows, Nellie Montgomery, Vivian Pierce, Virgil Fellows, Harold Fellows, Lura Mae Schuller, Eugene Fellows and Lois Loveland.Barbara is survived by one sister:  Irene (Lynn)Thomas, Filer, ID; a sister-in-law:  Kris (Eugene) Fellows; four children: Tom (Trena) Whaley, Vale, OR; Patty (Gary) Leischner, Aubrey, Texas; Yvonne Whaley, Weiser, ID,; and Deanna Cox, Payette, ID; a daughter-in-law: Laura(Stephen)Whaley, Atascadero, CA; 11 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; and 1 great, great grandchild.

 

Memorial services will be held September 30^th, 11:00 a.m., at the Payette Senior Center, Payette, Idaho. There will be a potluck with Chicken and drinks provided.

 

 

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