Obituary

Barbara Mary (Walczyk) Siemion passed away peacefully at Whatcom Hospice House on September 1, 2015 surrounded by family and friends. Barb was a devoted mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, and friend. She was born in Aberdeen, WA on October 25, 1932 to Andrew and Sylvia (Baretich) Walczyk. Barb graduated from Aberdeen High School in 1950, and continued living in Aberdeen while working at the National Bank of Commerce(NBC). She later met and married Frank Siemion of Cordova, Alaska. The couple then moved to Anchorage, AK where they were stationed at Fort Richardson during the end of the Korean War. Once service duty was over, the couple moved to Olympia, WA where they were blessed with their two children, Michele and Matthew. After raising her children, Barb courageously enrolled in college and succeeded in graduating from Evergreen State College in 1992; always being the oldest in her classes by many years and often older than the instructors, she was said to have brought, “great wisdom and worldliness to class discussions.” After graduation, Barb went to work for the State of WA and worked for a number of divisions within the Secretary of State’s Office. Barb then moved on to become the director of volunteers at Capital Medical Center. Once retired, in order to be closer to her children, Barb purchased the home of her dreams in Sandy Point, north of Bellingham, and later moved to Correll Park in Ferndale. She was a dedicated volunteer throughout her retirement, giving her time generously to the Ferndale Senior Center, SHIBA, Office of the Attorney General, Bellingham Assistance League, Ferndale Chamber of Commerce, Consumer Protection Hotline, Hovander House, and many other local organizations. She volunteered days prior to entering Hospice House; volunteering is what motivated Barb the most and she called it “her therapy.” Remarkably, Barb also survived an unprecedented 10 plus years with pancreatic cancer and underwent several difficult regimes of chemotherapy; she was tougher than most and was not going to yield to cancer without a fight. She developed a wonderful friendship with her trusted oncologist Anthony Bach at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA); each appointment would start with the question, “How are you doing today?” and Barb’s steadfast and anticipated reply was always, “same ol’ same ol’” which would always produce a chuckle in the room; she was not one to ever complain. Her goal was to, “live each day to the fullest until called to heaven.”

Barb was preceded in death, by her parents, Andrew and Sylvia Walczyk and her brother Michael Walczyk, all of Aberdeen, WA. Living relatives include her daughter Michele and her son Matt, his wife Kris and their daughters Alyniece and Mataya. Also include is her Brother Patrick Walczyk and his children Greg, Leslie, Kevin, and Kerry; and Michael’s children Debbi, Terri, and Eric. Barb also has many great nieces and nephews all of whom she treasured immensely.

The family would like to offer a special thanks to her friend Margaret Casey for years of support, friendship, dancing, and attending medical appointments; her daughter-in-law Kris for her gentle, bedside caregiving; and also the friends and family that visited her at Whatcom Hospice House.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Whatcom Hospice House in recognition of their compassion, professionalism, and support during a very difficult time (www.HospiceHelp.org).