Obituary

Barbara was born in Providence, RI to Edgar and May Wood (Cole). She moved to CA in 1956 where she met and married Walter Happe on December 19, 1964. Barbara trained and worked as a medical secretary for five years. She enjoyed the medical field but realized the challenge wasn’t there. She graduated from the Long Beach City College RN program. Barbara worked at Long Beach Memorial Hospital in both Critical Care and Hyperbaric Oxygen for 20 years.
Barbara semi-retired in 1996 and moved with Walt to Bellingham WA. She was very active in the community with Visiting Nurses and Academy for Life Long Learning.
Barbara always loved gardening, so moving from the southern California climate to WA compelled her to learn more. She completed the Master Gardeners program through WSU. She never did anything half way; she always wanted to know more about whatever she was working on or with.
Barbara loved to travel. She and Walt toured Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Russia and Germany. What she loved most though was travelling by car. She and Walt drove all around the U.S. and Canada visiting friends and family, National Parks, the Alaska Highway and the Erie Canal Road.
Barbara is survived by her husband Walter P Happe, her sister Shirley Wood of Belmont NH, her brothers Paul from Kihei, HI and Robert from Forest Falls, CA
In lieu of flowers the family would welcome support for the Whatcom Literacy Council 2205 Elm Street Bellingham WA 98225.
A Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 9th at 11:00am with a Celebration of her Life at 1:00pm at Moles Farewell Tributes, 2465 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham. A reception will follow at the family home.