Phoebe Barkan Gilpin

Phoebe Barkan Gilpin, was the third generation of a well known medical family in San Francisco. Born in Dante Hospital in 1924 to Phoebe and Dr. Hans Barkan, she attended Katherine Delmar Burke School, Sarah Lawrence College, and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where she was President of Alpha Phi Sorority. In 1948 she married John (“Jack”) W. Gilpin, Cmdr. Rt. USN, who became Director of Government Affairs for Varian Associates. He predeceased her in 1994. She is survived by her sons John (Cynthia) and David (Melissa) and her 4 grandchildren Michael (Bonnie fiancé), Ryan (Melissa), Phoebe (Nick), and Megan. Her brother, A. William Barkan predeceased her leaving his wife, Joan and their son John Barkan and his wife Joan. Phoebe enjoyed the friendship of Allan S. Perry of Palo Alto.

She moved with her husband to Hillsborough in 1953, and in recent years she resided at the Peninsula Regent in San Mateo where she was President of the Homeowners Association and the Continuing Care Council and served as a representative to BASS.

As a member of The Junior League of San Francisco she became devoted to community service work. She served on the Boards of The Junior League of San Francisco and the Mother’s Milk Bank, Gatepath Auxiliary, The California Society of The National Society of Colonial Dames of America and the Hillsborough Garden Club. She was President of The Volunteer Bureau of San Mateo County and was appointed to The San Mateo County Family and Children’s Services Advisory Committee and helped establish a private service, the Parental Stress Service, where she served as the first President. She affiliated with the Board of the Gleeson Library Associates of the University of San Francisco, and had the distinction of being elected a Fellow of the Library Associates. She was a Life Member of the Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation.

The Hillsborough Garden Club of the Garden Club of America where she was made an Honorary Member, was one of her great pleasures. She documented gardens and developed a slide show, lecturing on a national project, The Archives of American Gardens, located at the Smithsonian Institution. She received a Garden Club of America Historic Preservation Award. She was inspired to write an article on the early 20th Century horticulturist Isabella Worn that was published in Pacific Horticulture Magazine. Her Garden Club affiliation led her to be a founding member of the Hillsborough Beautification Foundation where she served as Secretary.

Her greatest pleasures and devotion was to her husband and family. She loved their back woods cabin in the Glen Alpine canyon near Fallen Leaf Lake and hiking with her sons in the Desolation Wilderness Area. With a group of friends she for many years hiked in the Marin hills and visited the Yosemite High Camps. She also enjoyed gardening, bridge, writing, and travel. Friendships continued through much of her life in her investment club and participating in “Between the Covers” her literary discussion group. She and her husband Jack founded a bridge club, which continued for over fifty years.

She was a member of the Town and Country Club, Hillsborough Garden Club, Burlingame Country Club, The National Society of Colonial Dames of America, and the Congregational Church of San Mateo.

A Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, April 5 at the Congregational Church of San Mateo, 225 Tilton Avenue, San Mateo with a reception immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to an organization of your choice or to The Scholarship Committee, Garden History and Design, The Garden Club of America, 14 East 60th Street 3rd Floor, New York City, New York, 10022.

PAID OBITUARY