Carol Darling Barendse

The oldest child of Arne and Frances Oja, Carol Darling Oja Barendse passed away on May 22 after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s.

Carol was born in Santa Clara, California, raised in Bonny Slope, Oregon, and graduated from Beaverton High School in 1943. After high school, she worked for Warner Brothers’ Film Distributors in Portland, Oregon.

In 1946 she met and married her lifelong partner, Clarence “Snooky” Barendse. Together they had two daughters, Joy (Wayne) Brotherton and Janice (Patrick) McConahay. Carol and Snooky were self-employed, and besides developing the Knappa Terrace and Knappa Trailer Park, they operated Barendse Timberlands Co., a Columbia River gillnet fishing boat, and were involved in the building of the Logger Restaurant and the Knappa office building.

Carol will always be remembered as a loving wife, mother and grandmother whose greatest passion was her family. She was very organized, quick-witted, with a wonderful sense of humor. Along with her beautiful flowers, her vegetable garden was a sight to behold. Carol sewed for her family, was an avid beachcomber, and loved to camp at Fort Stevens and along the Oregon Coast. She was a great photographer.

Carol enjoyed traveling in their RV when Snooky went trapshooting to Alaska, Ohio, Nevada, California and the Pacific Northwest states. When she was 70, she climbed Saddle Mountain, with her family, just to have lunch!

In addition to her two daughters, Carol is survived by seven grandchildren, Carole (John) Strnad of Woodburn, Oregon, Cassandra (Jim) VanGundy of Knappa, Christi (Cody) Schmidt of Scappoose, Oregon, Sascha (Chris) Hubbard of Hawaii, Stefanie (Dean) Dingledine of Illinois, John McConahay of Knappa and Keagan (Maggie) McConahay of Washington; 17 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Carol is also survived by her sister, Joann Posey of Portland, Oregon; her brother, Richard (Georgia) Oja of Knappa; a sister-in-law, Carol Barendse (Richard) Wing of Seaside, Oregon; special caregivers Nellie Johanson and George O’Mara of Knappa; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents; the love of her life, Snooky; a sister, Vivian Oja Dunsmore; and a brother, Don Oja.

Graveside services will be held June 2 at 11 a.m. at the Knappa Prairie Cemetery. The family invites guests to lunch at the Wickiup Grange after the services.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Shriner’s Hospital or Lower Columbia Hospice.