Clara Anna Aaberg
Born in Portland, Oregon on Jan. 22, 1911
Departed on Jul. 31, 2009 and resided in Beaverton, OR.

CLARA ANNA (BARR) AABERG

Clara Anna (Barr) Aaberg passed away peacefully on July 31, 2009 after a brief final illness. She was 98 years old and was born on January 22, 1911 in Portland, Oregon.

A Celebration of Clara's Life and reception will be held at 1pm on Thursday, Aug. 6th at Beaverton Foursquare Church which is located at 13565 SW Walker Rd. Beaverton, OR 97008. A private interment will be held.

Her parents were Robert Henry and Willie Pearl (Yoder) Barr. Her father was originally from Kinmount, Ontario. He was a successful pioneer logger coming to the Northwest in the 1890s. Her mother came to the Northwest as a young girl from North Carolina.

She had nine siblings. She is survived by her brother Bruce Glynn Barr (Pat) of Oakland, CA. and her sister MaryLou Dack (Marv) of Lincoln City, OR. She was predeceased by her brothers Robert, Jess, Dan, Jack, Tom, and Joe and her sister Ruth Hatherly.

Clara had a very happy childhood living in a rural setting near Kelso, Washington and also sometimes in nearby logging camps. She enjoyed the horses, cows, chickens and pets. She loved each person in the family dearly. Clara also loved to be in the woods and the logging camps, and she loved to ride horseback at which she was quite accomplished. She took great delight in being with her brothers who enjoyed spoiling her.

She married the love of her life, Ralph Orville Aaberg, in Longview, Washington on June 18, 1933. After living in Longview for a few years, they moved to Denver, Colorado in 1935 where Ralph began his long career working for GMAC. On March 25, 1936, their oldest son, Eric Richard Aaberg, was born in Denver, Colorado. Their second son, Bruce Michael Aaberg, was born on November 17, 1937 in Grand Junction, Colorado.

When World War II came, the family moved to Detroit, Michigan where Ralph worked in a defense plant. After the war, Ralph again began to work for GMAC, first in Casper, Wyoming and then in 1947 they moved to NE Portland, Oregon and later to Cedar Mill and Cedar Hills. In the early 60s, Ralph and Clara moved to Medford, Oregon. On May 20, 1964 Eric Michael Aaberg was born in San Francisco, CA. Ralph and Clara brought him home from the hospital and adopted him. In 1972 they retired briefly to Portland and finally to Forest Grove, OR where they lived until Ralph's death on November 14, 1991. Clara moved to the Jennings-McCall retirement complex in Forest Grove in 1994. Her final move was in 2005 to Canfield Place in Beaverton where she comfortably spent the rest of her life.

Her main interests were her family. She devoted her life to ensuring the happiness of her mother and dad, her brothers and sisters, her sons and all her relations and friends. She was a beautiful woman who aged very gracefully, still maintaining her attractive appearance until shortly before her passing. She was loyal and loving and will always be remembered for her pretty smile and her loving way.

Clara is survived by her three sons, Eric Richard (Janet) Aaberg of Selah, WA, Bruce Michael (Kathleen) Aaberg of Portland, OR, and Eric Michael (Natalene) Aaberg of Beaverton, OR.

Clara had eight grandchildren, Kathleen Olsen of Issaquah, WA, Glen Aaberg of Renton, WA, Anna Stone of Portland, OR, Franklin Aaberg of Beaverton, OR, Dixie Aaberg of Gresham, OR, Aunaliese, Elizabeth, and Eric William Aaberg of Beaverton, OR.

Clara had five great grandchildren Gabriel Matson of Selah, WA, Samara Wartes of Fort Polk, LA, Mark Olsen of Issaquah, WA, and Isaac and Isabel Aaberg of Renton, WA.

Clara had 3 great-great grandchildren, Summer Beason, Richard A. Beason Jr., and Malakai Wartes of Fort Polk, LA.

She loved life and she gave her best always to make her loved ones happy. May she rest in peace. God bless her.

Please send remembrances to Shriner's Childrens Hospital 3101 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. Portland, OR 97239-3009 or www.shrinershq.org