Barbara Lee Sawyer

Sacramento, California - Barbara was born in Manhattan, Kansas on July 22, 1935. Soon after, she moved with her parents to California. She spent the majority of her childhood in Santa Barbara. As a teenager Barbara attended Santa Barbara High School where she started dating Bob Sawyer. After graduating from high school, Barbara attended San Jose State University earning a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1957. Barbara and Bob married in June 1957 and started their 65-year partnership.

After college graduation Barbara worked as a reporter for the Los Gatos Times. This was a time when very few women worked outside of the home and was the beginning of Barbara's life long championing of equality for women. After Bob joined the United States Air Force in 1958, Barbara and Bob moved to Edwards Air Force Base, where Barbara quickly found a secretarial job. While living on base Barbara and Bob welcomed their two daughters, Lisa and Allison, into the world. In 1961 they moved to the east coast where Barbara pursued a teaching credential and worked as a teacher at a girl's school while Bob was a PhD student at Princeton.

In 1965 Barbara and Bob returned to California where they lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years.

Barbara immediately was hired as an English and Journalism teacher at Pleasant Hill High School where she worked for close to 20 years. During these years she was also very involved with her daughters schooling and pets (dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, desert tortoises and horses), volunteering with the Girl Scouts, and traveling with her family. As the daughter of a veterinarian, Barbara loved all animals and shared this love with Bob and her children. She always had at least one black cat in her life and was a self-proclaimed "crazy cat lady." Her last black cat, who is a little crazy herself, now lives with Barbara's daughter, Lisa. Anybody looking for a black cat?!

After their daughters were grown Barbara started teaching at Diablo Valley Community College (DVC). She began as a part time instructor in 1984 and became a full time English and Journalism faculty member in 1986. A journalist by training, she served as advisor to The Inquirer for eight years. In 1993 she moved into the English department as a full-time instructor. At DVC Barbara served in many leadership roles, including Faculty Senate President. She also held leadership roles in the Contra Costa Community College District and in the State Academic Senate for California Community Colleges. Not to be stopped, in retirement, Barbara taught part time at DVC and was active on the DVC Retirees Association Board.

In addition to a very fulfilling career Barbara enjoyed time with her family. After their four grandchildren were born Barbara and Bob became a big part of their lives. They took their grandchildren on many exciting trips and frequently had "special weekends" with each of them. In the last eight years of her life, Barbara welcomed eight great grandchildren into her family.

Oh my gosh, we haven't mentioned Chardonnay or theater yet! Barbara loved theater and Chardonnay almost as much as she loved her cats.

Barbara was admired and loved by her family and many friends. She was an inspiring mother, wife, aunt, grandmother and colleague. People who were important to Barbara include her husband, Bob Sawyer (decd.); her father, Alfred White (decd.); her mother Marie White (decd.); her brother Kent White (decd.); her daughters, Lisa Sawyer and Allison Shaffer; her son-in-law, John Lescroart; her grandchildren, Kimberly Shaffer, Justine Kastan, Robyn Shaffer, and Jack Lescroart (and their families); her nieces and nephews, Pam White, Nancy Paulson, Llyod White, and Pip White (and their families); her cousins, Bunny Fox, Marji Gilstrap, and Michael Fox (and their families); and many special friends.

Barbara died after living with Alzheimer's disease for too many years. If you would like to do something in her memory, please raise a glass of Chardonnay with friends and consider donating to the B Street Theatre (https://bstreettheatre.org), in Sacramento or to your local theater.