Obituary: Barbara Ellen Maenhout (Peters), 72

Barbara Ellen Maenhout (Peters), 72, of Wrangell, Alaska, passed away Sept. 21, 2013 surrounded by friends and family.

Barb was born in Sister Lakes, Mich. Nov. 1, 1940 to Walter and Matilda (Toots) Peters. She graduated from Dowagiac Central High School in Dowagiac, Mich. in 1958. She was married to Dale Maenhout in May of 1961.

Barb moved to Wrangell with her family in 1970 and began working at the Wrangell Sentinel newspaper and helped found the Petersburg Pilot with Jamie Bryson. She started working for Chuck Traylor at Stikine Air Service in 1974 as a dispatcher/bookkeeper and also worked for Ken Eichner’s Temsco Helicopters as their agent on the ground in Wrangell from 1984 until 2011.

She was chairperson for the Wrangell 4th of July celebration from 1977-1994. She was a founding member of the Wrangell tourism group the ‘Shady Ladies,’ and was the notorious silk bloomer wearing, gold-glittered cigar chomping ‘Nugget’. Barb also helped start Wrangell’s Tent City Days, and was the first female president of the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce in 1980.

Barb was active in the Wrangell First Presbyterian Church, as well as countless other volunteer organizations.

There wasn’t a charity or a community event in Wrangell that Barbara didn’t have her hand in or wasn’t called to help organize because of her exceptional leadership skills, and nobody could round up a group of volunteers to get the job done like Barb.

Barbara was known for her big oversized shirts and oversized sunglasses and could never say no to anyone. “Just let me make a few calls,” was a Barb Maenhout catch phrase that meant: not to worry, things would be done just right.

A highlight for Barb Maenhout was in 2002 when she received the State of Alaska First Lady’s Award for Volunteer Excellence.

She was a lifelong baseball fan, loved the music of Willie Nelson, and the color yellow. Barb loved picking berries, making jams and jellies, baking, canning fish, and was never selfish in sharing the bounty of this great land with others. Barb loved Wrangell and its good-hearted and generous people.

Barb is survived by her husband Dale, of Wrangell; daughter Kimberly (Binky), of Wrangell; son Walter, and his wife Julie, of Corvallis, Ore.; grandson Kristofer, of Juneau; and sister Patricia Valenti and family of Coloma, Mich.

A memorial/celebration of Barb’s life will be held Saturday, October 5 at 2pm, at Shoemaker Bay Shelter in Wrangell. The family asks that everyone wear something in yellow, even if it’s just a sock.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Barbara’s name; specify for the stained glass window fund for the Wrangell First Presbyterian Church, either by dropping off or mail to P.O. Box 439, Wrangell, Alaska 99929.