Barbara Aschim Sheepskin, 60, Seattle, Wash., died unexpectedly of a heart attack June 12, 2007, at the home of her daughter, Roseanne Carlson, in Tacoma, Wash. Cremation was done at Edwards Memorial Center in University Place, Wash. An informal gathering of remembrance will be held Saturday, Aug. 4, 2007, 1 p.m. at the Aschim ranch near Unity, 31011 Hwy 26, Unity, Ore. All who would like to remember her are welcome.
Barbara was born Aug. 5, 1946, at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Portland, Ore. Her mother was Burns Paiute and her father Oklahoma Choctaw. At the age of five she was adopted from the Albertina Kerr Home in Portland by Richard and Miriam Aschim of Unity, Ore. She attended Unity Grade School and Hereford Union High School, precursor to Burnt River High School. She was very bright and did well in school.
In the summer of 1961 she met Raymond Lee Carlson, also of Indian heritage, who with his sister, Karian, had been adopted by AnnaVee and Melvin Spencer Carlson of Huntington, Ore. That fall Barbara and Ray moved to Idaho. Two years later they had their first daughter, Debra. They were constantly on the move doing seasonal agricultural work. When Debra was two years old she went to live with the Carlsons, was adopted by them and raised with their daughter, Janice. On Oct. 29, 1970, Ray and Barbara were married in Nevada, and divorced a few years later. Barbara’s second daughter, Michelle was born in 1967 and her youngest daughter, Roseanne was born in 1971. Later on Barbara met Wilson Vern Sheepskin. They were married July 26, 1978, in Nevada, and lived in Idaho. When Michelle was ten and Roseanne six they were sent to live with their Aunt Janice in Seattle. Barbara was later widowed, and when she was able she moved to Seattle to be near her daughters.
About a year after moving to Seattle Barbara was stricken with a severe case of rheumatoid arthritis and was hospitalized for almost a year. She battled that painful, crippling disease for the rest of her life. Whenever she was able she struggled to establish her Indian heritage. She loved her daughters and wanted to provide for them as best she could. It took lots of time, effort, detective work, and untangling of bureaucratic red tape. She finally succeeded in enrolling as Burns Paiute in 2000. Her three daughters are enrolled as Oklahoma Choctaw and their children also are enrolled.
Barbara was preceded in death by her father, Richard Whittemore Aschim; second husband, Wilson Vern Sheepskin.
She is survived by her daughters, Debra Hall and husband, Kevin of Portland, Ore.; Michelle Baker of Seattle, Wash.; Roseanne Carlson of Tacoma, Wash.; nine grandchildren; mother, Miriam “Gus” Aschim of Unity; brother, John August Aschim of Vancouver, Wash.; sister, Joan Aschim and husband, John Street of Eugene, Ore.; and her loving companion of many years, Kenny Klem of Seattle, Wash.
Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, July 26, 2007
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor