In loving memory of
Barbara Begley
January 30, 1935 – August 6, 2026
Virtual Memorial Gathering
September 12, 2026
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Barbara Begley Obituary
Barbara Wrightson Begley passed away peacefully at the age of 91 in Arvada, Colorado, after living with dementia and aphasia for several years.
Barbara was born on January 30, 1935, in Seattle, Washington, to Elizabeth Burke Wrightson and James Wrightson. As a young child, she moved with her parents and brother to Portland, Oregon, where she spent the majority of her elementary and high school years living in the Portland Heights neighborhood and attended Lincoln High School.
From a young age, Barbara harbored a deep love for horses, growing into an accomplished and skilled rider. She shared her equestrian talents professionally for many years in Portland at a local riding school and barn. Her bond with horses was a defining thread throughout her life; she spent many foundational years as a camper at Camp Tamarack in Bend, Oregon, later returning for many summers as a beloved camp counselor. She joyfully passed this passion down to her daughters, raising them within a vibrant horse community.
In 1957, Barbara graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in sociology. She later built a career in Human Resources at the Oregon Regional Primate Center. It was there that she met Donald Begley. Barb and Don married in 1965 and settled on a beautiful piece of property just outside of Hillsboro, Oregon. They had two daughters, Charis and Stephanie, and filled their home with a lively assortment of animals over the years, including dogs, barn cats, many cherished horses, and a donkey.
As her daughters grew, Barb began working at Farmington View Elementary School. She remained a dedicated staff member there throughout her professional life and enjoyed many deep, lifelong friendships with her colleagues. She poured her free time and energy into taking her girls to riding lessons and Pony Club events. She felt deep joy watching them share her fierce love for horses and riding.
It was a dream for Barb and Don to travel around the U.S. and Canada in their fifth-wheel trailer after retirement. They eventually settled in Wellington, Nevada, where they lived for several years. She became very involved in the animal rescue organization DAWG (Douglas Animal Welfare Group), swam regularly at a local pool, volunteered with AARP each tax season to help people complete their taxes, and enjoyed many activities with the local Red Hat group.
In 2012, Barb and Don moved to Denver, Colorado to be closer to Charis and her family and to have better access to healthcare. There, Jamey and Jackson loved to visit Baba and have treats with her while they played games and cards.
Barb is survived by her loving daughters, Charis Sederberg and her husband James Sederberg II, and Stephanie Begley and her wife Carole Galuska. She is also survived by her cousins, Elizabeth Merriman and Nancy Burke Bosch, and her adored grandsons, James Sederberg III (“Jamey”) and Jackson Sederberg.
A virtual celebration of Barb’s life will be held online on September 12, 2026, at 11:00 AM PST / 2:00 PM EST. Friends, family, and those whose lives she touched are invited to join.
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Steph and Charis,
Much love and peace for you and your family with the loss of your beautiful mother. Ruud and I are so happy to have known Barb, and spent time with Don and Barb on Vashon. ❤️ Love, Ruud en Jane
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Barb was such a wonderful addition to our family and I am so glad I was able to spend time with her once she moved to Colorado. She was such a kind soul, always so warm and welcoming.
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I only met Barbara a couple times but I do know that she raised two lovely daughters. I am so grateful to be good friends with Stephanie and cross paths with Charis every once in awhile. Good people raised by a good mom. That’s a wonderful thing.
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Barbara & I lived in the same neighborhood. We were in the same Red Hat Chapter THE ROSEY RED HATS) and we went swimming together. We hung out together a lot..
I still wear a pair of her old riding boots she gave me.
Sorry for your loss..
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Barbara & Don are both in our thoughts & prayers. As our precious friends. They were both going on their rides to points of interest: Don was aviation minded & Barbara was helping friends at the pet rescue & loving her time in the pool. She remains the thoughtful friend & gentle guide toward making each day count – no matter what 🥰🤗🙏
ciStevens & Louis Reinkens
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Barb was a very important person in my life. We were first cousins.
II remember fondly all the fun summer visits I had in Portland with the Wrightsons. . Horses were a big part of the excitement for me as a city girl. Later, for several summers, we were counselors together at Camp Tamarack in Sisters, OR. Barb was the head of the riding program and I was the head of the waterfront.
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I’m feeling deep gratitude for the many memories I have of both Barb and Don in Hillsboro (corn roasts!) and in Wellington (dog walks!) and in Cranbrook, B.C. when they were on “tour”. Treasured friends attending my wedding in 1967 in Spokane.
Many accomplishments, but the best was raising two outstanding daughters. Much love to you:)🙏🥰
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Sending so much love to Barb’s family, and wishing many years of celebration and fond memories of her ❤️
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Wonderfully told life story. Barbara raised great writers – and animal lovers. And really lovely that she could be in Colorado with family, and her daughters and grandsons.
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All my love to Charis and Stephanie!
Kyle
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Missing Barb and my brother Don🥰Judy