Barbara P. Shinn

I am an Idaho native, born at home in Wendell, Idaho, on December 19, 1926, to Coe M. and Adah Rogers Price. They were early emigrants from Olympia, Washington-Dad in the early 1900s and Mom in 1913.

My brothers, Gerald Montague (1916), and Richard Coe (1924), preceded me in life and death. They joined the United States Army Air Corps during WWII; both perished in their planes, Jerry over Austria, Dick in California. Mom died in 1973, Dad in 1985, after they moved to Boise. My husband, Joe Shinn, died in 1998, in Boise.

The family moved to Twin Falls in 1935 when Dad bought the Salladay Hardware on Main Street and renamed it Price Hardware. Some years later the store relocated across the street-still called Price Hardware- to the historic 1904 Messer building. Sixty plus years later, it evolved into Rudy’s, named in honor of Rudy Aschenbrenner, who had become a partner, then owner, of the business. I was a hardware kid, from being weighed on a nail scale and eating pumpkin seeds from seed bins (Wendell) to balancing the store ledger, sweeping the old wooden floors, dusting china and crystal, and learning how to work with people (Twin Falls). I graduated from Twin Falls High School in 1944.

1948 was a big year...I graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and I married Joe, also of Twin Falls. We traveled the Northwest, installing new and remodeling old hardware stores, then returned to Twin Falls, where our three children were born. We transferred to Rupert, Idaho in 1961, then to Boise in 1971.

I had the good fortune to be the Kuna High School Librarian for 16 years.  It was the best possible job one could hope for—great kids, great co-workers, friendly townspeople. There are   a few stories about my escapades still circulating among my compatriots-and most of them are true.

Our children, Jeff (Theresa), Doug (Diane Bromenschenkel), and Liz Bolts (Mike) are parents to grandsons Conner (Melissa), great-granddaughter Lennon Coe Shinn, Brady (partner Meghan Holton), and granddaughter Peri (Ryan). I am very proud of all of them. I wish them all a life filled with joy, humor, and wonder.

During my lifetime, I have been a daughter, wife and mother, and friend, as well as a traffic counter, book mender, newspaper “society” page reporter and editor, elementary and high school librarian, fifth and sixth grade teacher, state employment office worker, community volunteer, world traveler, and happy retiree. I can honestly say despite some not-so-great periods, it has been a very good life, having a caring family, great experiences, and knowing friendly, inspirational people.  I leave with few regrets and a lot of curiosity.

Thanks for a good run, world!

A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, January 22, at the Barber Park Event Center, 4049 S. Eckert Road, Boise 83716.  The celebration will be from 1:00 until 4:00 pm.

Cremation was under the direction of Alden-Waggoner in Boise; Celebration of Life services were overseen by my family.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, Boise; Idaho Food Bank; Women’s and Children’s Alliance, or your favorite charity.