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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Gold Hill residents say city dawdled as streets flooded ... El Nino's effects remain uncertain for Southern Oregon ... Josephine County brothers die in single-car crash ... Gold Hill residents say city dawdled as streets flooded ... El Nino's effects remain uncertain for Southern Oregon ... Josephine County brothers die in single-car crash ... Barbara Anne Knuth Wolfe Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 8, 2015 at 2:00 AM Posted Mar. 8, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Social News July 29, 1918 February 25, 2015 Above all, Barbara was cheerful and kind. Her face always seemed open and bright. She went out of her way to be considerate of the people around her. She made lasting friendships throughout her life, and followed the needlepoint slogan on her living room wall: Welcome To All. There was nothing she wanted more than for people to be happy, and she lived true to that goal. Barbara grew up in Orange, Calif. Her parents, Anna Holditch and Bill (W. A.) Knuth, owned an orange ranch. Barbara often spoke of the bountiful fruit at the family home, not just oranges, but other citrus fruits, like grapefruit, lemons, and kumquats, along with figs, dates, saucer peaches, and avocados. Even as a toddler Barbara spoke up for happy relationships. At about age four, when she heard her parents arguing, she tried to change their tone, saying, Don't be mad be nice! Barbara graduated from Orange Union High School as co-valedictorian in 1936, earning a bachelor's degree in psychology from UCLA in 1941. Her mother sold her share of the Holditch family ranch to pay Barbara's tuition. In 1943, on a blind date with her friend Grace Adams, Barbara met Raymond Wolfe, the roommate of Grace's fianc, and her future husband. They corresponded during the war, and were married in Orange, Calif. January 25, 1946. They lived near Berkeley while Ray completed his doctorate in chemistry. Barbara worked at the U.C. Radiation Laboratory during this time, and liked to tell people that Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, one of the leaders of the Manhattan Project, once sat on her desk. Their children, Gordon, Kathy, and Donald, were born during this period. Following his postdoctoral work at the University of Wisconsin, in 1956, Ray was hired to teach chemistry at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Barbara became an enthusiastic part of the community, volunteering with the League of Women Voters, the PTA, University Women's Club, the March of Dimes, the Girl Scouts, and other groups. In 2008, Barbara received an award from the League honoring 50 years of dedicated volunteer service. As a university professor, her husband could take a sabbatical year at half salary after every six years teaching. For the first sabbatical, in 1963, Ray and Barbara took the family to Europe. Traveling across Canada by rail, and then across the Atlantic by steamship, they picked up a VW combi microbus in Germany, and then toured northern Europe during the summer of 1963, spent the school year in Vienna, toured Italy, Greece, and Yugoslavia during spring break, and explored Spain, France, and the British Isles during the summer of 1964. Later sabbaticals they went to Bristol, England in 1970 and Ithaca, New York in 1978. After Ray retired, the couple traveled to China, Thailand, New Zealand, Alaska, and Turkey. Throughout her life, Barbara was a prolific correspondent, writing notes and letters to family and her many friends. She was quick to write supportive notes to friends and relatives in response to events, intuitively aware of the value of encouragement and affirmation. Her dozens of letters from Europe became a chronicle of the Wolfes' year abroad. She was a natural writer, and her writing was as fluid and comfortable as a conversation in person. Barbara kept a small beaded purse on the table at her home, full of little slips of paper with uplifting sayings. She would invite visitors to draw a slip out of the purse to choose a theme for the day, or for the moment. The sayings were simple ideas that could inspire a positive outlook, and maybe tip the balance of the day toward happiness. Here are a few examples: Your heart's in the right place so sweet, caring, and generous Look for the rainbow It's a new day love the thought and the opportunity Keep some till more come So far, so good! You have a heart of gold there's no doubt about it Nothing illustrates Barbara's devotion to brightening the world better than this purse. One day at a time, one person at a time, she always sought to make each day, each life a little happier. Barbara will always be dearly loved and missed by her family, who were blessed for so long by her sunny disposition. Survivors include husband, Ray; children, Gordon, Kathy, and Don; and five grandchildren, Vaughn, Lauren, Aidan, Noah, and Lydia. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 8, 2015 at 2:00 AM You may leave your condolences or share memories by signing the Guest Book here » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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