Samuel Ovid LeBarron

A memorial service is 1 p.m. May 8 at the Starlight Lodge in Markleeville for Samuel Ovid LeBarron, 69, of Markleeville, who died April 13, 2010, in Palo Alto, Calif., after a sudden illness.

Born Dec. 14, 1940, in Springfield, S.D., to Ford and Eunice (Venne) LeBarron, he was educated in parochial schools in Great Falls, Mont., and earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry at the College of Great Falls.

In his early years, Mr. LeBarron was employed by the Pillsbury Company helping to develop cake mix recipes, and then worked for the government in St. Paul in a munitions plant.

He moved to Seattle in 1980, where he was employed by Northwest Laboratories as an analytical chemist. He moved to Belmont, Calif., in 1998 and worked for Biosource until his retirement in 2003.

Mr. LeBarron was an avid hiker, traveler, talented photographer and gourmet cook.

He was an active member of the Friends of Hope Valley, the Carson Valley Trails Association, the Carson Valley Hikers, the Gentlemen's Autochthonous Book Society, and the Cloud Appreciation Society.

He enjoyed the sport of dock jumping with his dog Starbuck, who won many competition trophies.

He was preceded in death by sisters, Kay and Suzanne.

He is survived by wife Yvonne Chen; daughter Elise (Mike) of Gig Harbor, Wash.; his stepdaughter Shawn and fiance Mark of Seattle; stepson J., his wife Sabahat, and their children Jasmine and Jaan of Walpole, Mass.; mother Eunice; sisters Marie, Vonnie, and Suzette, all of Great Falls; as well as numerous nieces and nephews in several states.

Memorial gifts in Mr. LeBarron's memory may be made to the Friends of Hope Valley, P.O. Box 431, Markleeville, CA 96120, or the Carson Valley Trails Association, P.O. Box 222, Minden, NV 89423. For more information, visit www.hopevalleyca.com or www.carsonvalleytrails.org. The Neptune Society is in charge of arrangements.