honoring our founder
Barbara Ann Barger
September 2, 1942 ❀ January 16, 2020
September 2, 1942 ❀ January 16, 2020
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In 1981, Barbara Barger realized that her daughter only had one option: to become institutionalized. Barb found this response to her daughter's abilities to be unacceptable. She looked around and realized that there were many others like her daughter, Beth, who needed a better option. She founded Helping Hands for the Disabled to create a home for people who are differently-abled. This organization, now renamed DAHLIA Living in Barb's honor, still supports 26 adults in four homes in East King County. DAHLIA Living has helped many people find their community and home. In addition to helping people who are differently-abled, Barb and her partner, Eva, have also cared for 16 foster children.
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Barb was happiest when she was helping others. A perennial volunteer at Beth’s school, she served what is now called the Northwest Center for 12 years, and then volunteered another 12 years at the Eastside Community Aid Thrift Store in Kirkland. Barb was an avid gardener. She cultivated beauty in her flowers and loved watching them bloom in spring. She also loved to travel. When asked where she liked best, she replied: "anywhere." Barb was an ardent fan of the Seattle Storm. She started going to games at the very beginning, when they were known as the Seattle Reign. She also loved watching her great-nephew Tyren play football for Newport and Bellevue High Schools.
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Born in Shinnston, WV in September 1942, Barb’s independent spirit transported her to Bremerton, WA with the Pacific Northwest Bell in 1962. Beth’s birth, in 1964, shaped her future and was a highlight of her life, as was her long overdue marriage to Eva in 2013. Above all else, Barb was determined. From moving to the northwest, to embracing the challenges of raising a differently-abled child, to the myriad of health conditions that plagued her for many years, Barb met most challenges with strength and tenacity.
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Barbara Ann Barger passed away on January 16, 2020. She is preceded by her parents Fred and Bessie Shingleton, siblings Fred Jr. and Nedra, infant brother Charles, and her beloved daughter Beth Bowman. She is survived by partner Eva, constant companion Joseph, and foster son Seth. A memorial service will be held in late April or early May at Bellevue Botanical Garden. The family requests no flowers. Remembrances for Barb can be made to DAHLIA Living at 15111 8th Ave SW, Ste 303 Burien, WA 98166.
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Real life experiences for really special peopleFrom summer camps to Santa Claus, chilling at home to Halloween parties, our goal at DAHLIA Living is to give our residents the opportunities to experience life, at their speed, in their way. We were founded on the determination that differently-abled people could lead a vibrant, active life.
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Our Mission
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At DAHLIA Living, we provide creative living options, advocate for equal recognition and ensure a quality of life for adults who are differently-abled.
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