January 1987
Spokane, Washington

Dr. Elvera L. Barlow, assistant dean of student personnel services at Spokane Community College, died Saturday at her home. She was 48.

Service for Dr. Barlow will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Corner Christian Fellowship in Post Falls where she was a member. Burial will follow at Pines Cemetery in the Spokane Valley with Ball & Dodd Funeral Home South in charge.

A member of the Yurock Indian Tribe, she was born on the Hoopa Reservation in northern California, where her grandfather, a Norwegian, was the first white man on the reservation.

As a youngster, she learned to fly an airplane while still in high school, raced sports cars in hillclimbs and participated in competition in both sports and academic studies.

She received her bachelor's degree and master's degree from Humboldt State University and her doctoral degree in educational administration from Pennsylvania State University.

Barlow was a counselor and speech therapist in Eureka, California, and from 1976 to 1977 on a Rockefeller Fellowship was assistant to the president of North Idaho College in Coeur d' Alene.

She came to Spokane Community College as assistant dean of student personnel services in 1978.

Dr. Barlow recently received a citizen's award from the Spokane City Council for her work with the Mayor's Advisory Committee for Human Services.

She was past chairman of the United Way at Spokane Community College, was on the advisory board of KSPS - Public Television and was a member of the National Indian Education Association.

Survivors include her husband, Dr. Donald A. Barlow, one son, Aaron A. Brown of Spokane, one step-son, Jeffrey S. Barlow of Perrinton, Mich; two daughters, Laura L. Jordan and Donell L. Barlow, both of Spokane; her mother, Vera Ryerson of Eureka, Calif.; her father, Bud Ryerson of Hoopa, Calif.; and one granddaughter.

The family suggests memorials to a scholarship fund established in her name at Spokane Community College.