Barbara Ann Engleson

December 10, 1957 - July 30, 2019

Barbara Ann (Richter) Engleson, 61, of Corvallis, Oregon, passed away July 30, 2019, at Good Samaritan Hospital after a long battle with cancer. Barb, as she was known to her family and friends, was born Dec. 10, 1957, in Council Bluffs, Iowa to Marvin and Lois (Martin) Richter. The second of five children, she attended grade school in Silver City, Iowa, and graduated from Glenwood High School in 1976. She went on to attend Northwest Missouri State University, where she majored in fine arts. After working as a graphic designer, Barb was intrigued by engineering and subsequently attended the University of Nebraska – Omaha. There, she received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering, with a focus in environmental engineering. In 1988 Barb moved to Corvallis, Oregon, for a job with CH2M HILL (now Jacobs), where she was employed for over 30 years. On Mar. 20, 1993, she married Tom Engleson, whom she met at CH2M HILL, at their home in Corvallis. They had one daughter, Renee. Barb had a variety of roles with CH2M Hill, including Process Engineer, Department Manager, Staffing Manager and Design Manager. Barb was a contributor and manager for projects around the globe, including water and wastewater projects in Singapore, England, Canada, Puerto Rico, and dozens of projects across the nation. Barb was an outstanding engineer and manager, but she most enjoyed acting as a mentor to young engineers and encouraging others to stretch and develop their careers and interests. She will be remembered for her calm, confident management style and strong work ethic. Her legacy will continue with the many co-workers with whom she shared her gifts as an engineer, manager, and friend, and the communities with improved access to clean water. Outside of work, Barb’s many passions included running, traveling, the arts, gardening, walking her beloved dogs, and exploring the Oregon outdoors. She loved running in McDonald Forest and completed the Boston Marathon twice. Barb was a volunteer at the Whiteside Theatre, and enjoyed attending plays and concerts. Barb enjoyed sketching and painting and kept an easel and watercolors at the ready. Shortly after moving to Corvallis, she learned to play the violin and for many years played with the Pro Musica Corvallis String Orchestra. Barb inherited a love of travel from her parents, and visited Europe, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Mexico, Canada, and Hawaii with family and friends. She loved taking her dogs to the Oregon Coast, and made frequent hiking and ski trips to Central Oregon and the Cascades. Her family farm in Iowa remained a special place to catch up with family and friends. Barb was a wonderful mother, sister, wife, and friend. She cared about all the people in her life and went out of her way to ensure people were respected and their unique talents honored. She was patient and kind, but also had high standards for herself and others, which spurred those around her to do their best. Barb is survived by her husband, Tom, of Corvallis; one daughter, Renee, of Portland, Oregon; father, Marvin Richter, of Silver City, Iowa; three sisters, Carol and husband Greg Reeder, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Shari and husband John Gregory, of Glenwood, Iowa, Linda and husband Tom Gomez, of Treynor, Iowa; one brother, Martin and wife Jackie Richter, of Mineola, Iowa; many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Her mother, Lois Richter, preceded her in death. A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, August 31 at the United Methodist Church, Silver City, Iowa, with a lunch and fellowship following. Inurnment will be in the Silver City Cemetery. Another Celebration of Life will be held in Corvallis, Oregon at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park pavilion on October 12th from 2 to 5 pm. Memorials may be offered to Lumina Hospice and Palliative Care and the Vina Moses Center.