It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, sister and teacher Pamela K. Barkdull, affectionately known as Pam, who left us peacefully during a nap on January 23, 2025, at the age of 74. Born on August 21, 1950, at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, Pam has been a cherished resident of Fortuna, where she touched the lives of many generations of students and friends alike. She is the fifth generation of pioneer Newell and Cooper families to live here in Humboldt County.

Pam was the daughter of Ken and Lois Newell, who instilled in her a love for education and community service. Pam graduated from Fortuna Union High School in 1968, where she was actively involved in student council, the National Honor Society (NHS), and the California Scholarship Federation (CSF). She was a member of the Girls League Cabinet and the Tri-ettes, receiving the Senior Class Good Citizen Award, reflecting her commitment to leadership and service.

Her senior year she was accepted at UC Santa Barbara, but later that year she started dating a handsome young man by the name of Curt from the Bar-W ranch in Bridgeville. She drove away to college in her VW bug, but it wasn’t long before her heart brought her back to Humboldt County. She transferred to Humboldt State University, majoring in Mathematics at a time when few women were studying that subject, while spending her weekends with Curt and even helping Raymond make hay and gather the cattle. She earned her bachelor’s degree in 1972 and on December 23, 1972, Pam and Curt Barkdull were married at the United Methodist Church in Fortuna. They honeymooned at the 6 Rivers Sporting Club in Mad River, marking the beginning of a beautiful journey together. The couple moved to Milton, Florida for Curt’s flight training at Naval Air Station Whiting Field. Their next assignment took them overseas to the Philippines, where Pam started her career teaching young sailors and marines preparing for their GED at the Naval Station Subic Bay in 1974. After returning to the States in 1976, they settled in San Diego, where Curt worked at the Naval Air Station in Miramar. They welcomed two sons, Greg and Brian, who were both born on Father’s Day, just two years apart, in 1977 and 1979.

The Navy later relocated the family to Corpus Christi, Texas, where tragedy struck with Curt’s untimely death in a mid-air collision in 1982. Pam regrouped and returned to Fortuna to raise Greg and Brian, dedicating herself to their upbringing and education. While taking them to all of their soccer and golf events, and helping them with their homework, she also served on the Fortuna Elementary PTA board, as a Camp Fire Boys and Girls leader, and began playing piano as the choir accompanist at the Fortuna United Methodist Church on Sundays. She obtained her Math teaching credential in California in 1988 and began teaching in the Fortuna Union High School District that same year, where she would go on to make a lasting impact in the Math department. She also looked after her mother, Lois and her in-laws Raymond and Meredith. After her children went on to UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara, Pam invested her extra time in the local education system. She was instrumental in creating the Century Hall program in 1999, which started as a “school within a school” on the Fortuna High Campus. The core team of teachers included Steve Irwin, Bruce McCarthy and Raelene Keating. This program evolved into the Academy of the Redwoods (AR), which was designed in the summer of 2003 and they were awarded a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and launched with its first class of students in 2005 on the College of the Redwoods campus. As one of the most amazing and dedicated math teachers in the region, her classroom was always filled with encouraging words and positive attitudes. She taught mathematics at AR until her retirement in 2012, and her dedication to creating a supportive educational environment helped minimize barriers between high school and college, easing the transition to post-secondary education and also increasing high school graduation rates. AR has become a vital educational option for students throughout Humboldt County, thanks to the ongoing support of the Fortuna Union High School District and the Humboldt County Office of Education.

Pam’s life was filled with memorable family adventures, including trips to San Diego, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, and Universal Studios with her boys. She enjoyed camp-outs at Grizzly Creek and a special trip with Cindy Hart and her sons back to Washington, D.C., where they toured the White House including the Oval Office and Mount Vernon. She took Brian back to Colorado to visit her sister-in-law Nona, and Meredith. Pam later traveled to Minnesota to visit her dear Navy friends, Maurie and Gretchen Weiler, and took a road trip with cousins Carl and Mary-Sue Anderson to visit family in Missouri. She took a cruise trip to Alaska and joined the Willey family in Hawaii. She also looked forward to her annual quilting trips to Sisters, Oregon, with her good friend Alayne Hunt. The annual family Christmas parties, held in rotation with her sister Jo Ann and brother Bob, were always a highlight of her year. Additionally, Pam loved attending the local concert series with two of her best friends, Patricia Blair and Sherry Hanson.

In 2012, Pam retired from teaching to pursue her passion for quilting and to spend more time playing with her grandchildren. Looking back it was fortunate that she enjoyed that quality time with her family because in 2015, Pam was hit with the diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s disease. She bravely carried on with grace and resilience. She managed to keep living in her own home for 9 more years with the help of her son Greg and a lot of post-it notes, and continued playing piano every Sunday for her church for nearly 8 of those years even though it would take several days of practice each week to get her songs straight for Sunday. Brian also fondly recalls his phone calls with her during those years on his way to work. Her family would like to acknowledge the compassionate care from Dr. Don Iverson at Providence Neurology and Dr. Andrew Johnston from Open Door during this period.

Pam is preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband, Curt. She is survived by her siblings, Bob Newell of Hilo, Hawaii, and Jo Ann (Alan) French of Hydesville, California; her sons, Greg (Heather) Barkdull of Fortuna and Brian Barkdull of Eureka; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren, including special relationships with Emily, Laura, John and Faith.

Pam’s virtues of kindness, fairness, and generosity touched the lives of many. She loved to stay busy with her projects and was a source of joy and inspiration to all who knew her. If anyone wishes to make a donation in her memory, please consider the Curt and Pam Barkdull Scholarship Fund at the College of the Redwoods.

A memorial service for Pam will be held on March 22, 2025, at 11 a.m. at the Fortuna United Methodist Church, followed by interment at 3 p. m. at Sunset Memorial in Eureka. As we remember Pam, we take comfort in knowing she is reunited with Curt, and we will forever cherish the memories of her love and laughter. Pam, you will be deeply missed, but your spirit will live on in the hearts of all who loved you.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Pam Barkdull’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.