Barbara Beth Schoen

Barbara Beth Schoen, 79, of Payette, passed away Monday, July 11, 2011 at St. Alphonsus Medical Center, Ontario. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, July 16th at the First United Methodist Church, Payette. Condolences may be made to Barbara’s family at www.shaffer-jensenchapel.com.

Barbara was born on Aug. 22, 1931 to Drexel and Eunice Watson in Wichita, KS. The family moved to Payette in 1936 where Barbara attended public schools until 1941. The family then moved to Fruitland where she attended public schools until 1947 at which time the family moved to Portland, OR where she graduated in 1949 from Grant High School in Portland.

Barbara attended Oregon State University in 1950 and 1951 where she was a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority. She was voted one of the 26 most-beautiful women on campus. She attended the College of Idaho in Caldwell in 1958 and 1959 and graduated with a degree in education. She was a middle school teacher in Fruitland from 1959 to 1963 and later from 1974 to her retirement in 1989. She was a good teacher. Education was important to her and she impressed this upon her students and later to her children.

Barbara married Ron Schoen on Feb. 15, 1963. In addition to raising a family, Barbara was involved in the Methodist Church in Payette and served several times as president of the women’s group. She was a member of the Payette Library Board from 1981-2002. She was on the Payette City Council from 1982-1994 and was president of the council from 1986-1994. Barbara was an avid reader and she passed this passion on to her family. She golfed for many years, played bridge and loved to entertain her many friends. She and Ron loved to travel and were proud of the fact she had visited all 50 states plus numerous locales throughout the world. Trips fondly remembered were the trip to England with Jack and Marie Moggridge and Panama Canal trip with Bill and Jean Peterson. Also the Italy trip with her sister was among one of her favorites.

Barbara is survived by her husband, Ron; her children, Mary (Bruce) Kauffman of Ocean Park, WA, Shelley (Jim) Curtis of Portland, OR, Laurie (Dan) Dorman of Lewiston, ID, Mike (Kristine) Schoen of Arlington, WA, Chris (Lisa) Schoen of Boise, ID, son-in-law Dick (Shirleen) Coleman of Hailey, ID; 15 grandchildren and three great grandchildren; a sister, Dorothy Marcoux of Boise, ID and a brother, Richard (Sharon) Watson of Oakhurst, CA. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Darrell and Don Watson, and a daughter Marilyn Coleman.

A viewing will be from 5-8 p.m., Friday, July 15th at Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Payette. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donation to the First United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, c/o Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Payette, ID 83661.