Barbara Jean Tanner
Jan. 16, 1932-Feb. 20, 2023
Nevada City, CA
Barbara Tanner, a longtime Palo Alto resident, former inn owner and volunteer extraordinaire, passed away on February 20 at her Nevada City home after a brief illness. She was 91.
Tanner was a California girl in every sense of the phrase. Born Barbara Jean Sharp on January 16, 1932 in Alhambra, California, a twin to brother Bill _ she was raised in the suburbs east of Los Angeles suburbs when they were dotted with orange groves, before urban sprawl.
She was a dancer, took lessons at a young age and told of performing with her little troupe on movie theater stages before the show. She loved the beach, cheerleading, attended Pasadena City College, and married young.
She and her husband, Trieve Tanner, Jr., a research psychologist, moved to the Bay Area when he was hired by NASA. They settled in Palo Alto, where they raised their three girls to write thank you notes and pay mind to those less fortunate.
Tanner worked as an instructional aide in East Palo Alto and Mountain View, and assisted a Stanford education researcher. She and her husband moved to Nevada City in the mid-1980s, where they renovated Piety Hill Inn and ran it as a bed and breakfast for several years.
She later became involved with the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce, serving as president, longtime coordinator of the annual Victorian Christmas celebration, and was a recipient of the chamber’s Elza Kilroy award for outstanding service to the city.
“She worked tirelessly for Nevada City as a volunteer who was willing to do any job,’’ said Cathy Whittlesey, a friend and former Chamber president. “She brought quality to the Victorian Christmas celebration and insisted on ‘the best’ products to be sold, entertainment and marketing.
“Because of her effort, Victorian Christmas became well known as one of the best Christmas events” in the area, Whittlesey said.
Tanner also volunteered at KVMR, the local public radio station, answering phones and greeting the public.
She loved Joan Baez and Neil Young, Paul Newman and Roger Federer. Confucius jokes and Glenfiddich scotch. Talking politics _ but only her brand. She remained active into her later years; gardening was a favorite hobby.
Her husband died in 2003 and brother Bill in 2016. Tanner is survived by her daughters; Robin Shriver, Lindsey Tanner and Dana Powell and their husbands; grandson, Ian Tanner Driscoll and his wife; great-granddaughters Esme and Hadley, and three nephews.
A celebration of her life is scheduled for June 3 in Nevada City. Please contact Dana Powell for details, dantanap33@gmail.com, 530-386-3016 cell.
Tags: teacher/educator