Barbara Basden

Published 11:13 am Tuesday, September 19, 2023

February 10, 1940 – August 31, 2023

Barbara Basden died peacefully on August 31, 2023, following complications from surgery at the UCSD Medical Center in La Jolla, CA. She was 83 years old. Barbara was born in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, the youngest of three sisters. Barbara attended College of Idaho, where she met her future husband, Dave. They eloped their senior year of college, during finals week. They received their doctorates in Psychology together at UC Santa Barbara, and did postdoctoral work at Stanford and Berkeley. Their two children, Leslie and Derin, were born during the post grad years. They moved to Fresno, California, and were professors at Cal State University Fresno for 37 years. Barbara’s field of study was experimental psychology, with expertise in memory. In 2005, after retirement, Barbara and Dave moved to the Rogue Valley. Barbara was an active member of the community, joining the AAUW Medford branch and forming Garden Joys, an interest group for garden lovers. Barbara, also an avid musician, played guitar with several Old-Time Music bands, and served as Treasurer for the Oregon Old Time Fiddlers Association. Barbara was also an expert genealogist, and a Director at Rogue Valley Genealogy Society, and travelled across the world to research and lecture. Barbara is remembered for her energy, enthusiasm, and ever-present smile. Barbara was preceded in death by her mother, father, two sisters, and her daughter, Leslie. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, David, and her son, Derin. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the National Park Foundation. Donations can be made online at https://give. nationalparks.org/. A Celebration of Life service for Barbara will be held at 4pm on Friday, September 29, 2023, at the Medford Congregational United Church of Christ, 1801 E. Jackson St., Medford, OR.