Barbara Maxine Reinhart Hupp September 20, 1936 – May 4, 2024

SILVERTON – Lifelong Silverton Hills resident Barbara Maxine Hupp passed away at her home on May 4, 2024. She was 87 years old. Barbara was born on September 20, 1936, in Silverton, Oregon, to John and Cedelia "Grace" Reinhart. She was the second youngest of five children and grew up in the Silverton Hills. She graduated from Silverton High School in 1954. In the summer of 1953, at age 16 she met the love of her life, Delbert Theron Hupp, who was living and working on his aunt and uncle's farm in the Silverton Hills where she babysat. He was smitten and wished to marry her at Christmastime, but she made him wait until the next summer. They married on July 10, 1954. Together they had four children and enjoyed 58 happy years of marriage and farming, working tirelessly as wonderful partners in business, marriage and parenting. In January of 1954, Delbert bought their first farm on 27 acres in the Silverton Hills at Drakes Crossing. She and Delbert began farming strawberries and then raised grass seed. As a young mother, she would drive her 1942 Chevy coupe to the strawberry fields. Barbara created a makeshift playpen, lining two bushel boxes with heavy quilts, where her two young daughters played while she worked all day. Barbara remembered fondly, "Life wasn't easy but we did what we had to do."

Barbara was raising four children, attending college in Mt. Angel and working on a nursery near their farm when a local nursery inspector advised her to enter the emerging market. In 1967, she and Delbert decided to open a commercial nursery focusing on bareroot seedlings, Drakes Crossing Nursery. Barbara worked in the nursery during the days while Delbert worked as a welder, then they would spend their evenings and weekends working more on the nursery. The couple soon decided to raise Christmas trees as well and opened Hupp Farms. Over the years, Drakes

Crossing Nursery and Hupp Farms grew and continues to be a family farm today. To her death, Barbara loved spending time out on the farm. In her free time, she loved playing pinochle, competitive games and puzzles, flowers and gardens, watching sports of all kinds, playing along with Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune each evening, spending time with her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids, vacationing in Hawaii, and enjoying dinners out with family and friends. For years, Barbara was an active member of the Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association (PNWCTA) and the Oregon Association of Nurseries. In 1999, Barbara and Delbert were awarded the Herb and Helen Plumb Award for Distinguished Service to the Christmas Tree Industry by the PNWCTA. And in 2021, Barbara was awarded the Barney Douglass Research Award for Outstanding Services in Advancement of Christmas Tree Research Programs by the PNWCTA. Barbara was preceded in death by her husband Delbert. She is survived by her daughter Kathy LeCompte, and her husband Dave, of Brooks; her daughter Karen Hupp of Salem; her son Jan Hupp, and his wife Cindy, of Silverton; 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her son Don Hupp. Barbara spent the last few weeks of her life surrounded by many family members, farm team members, and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Drakes Crossing Volunteer Firefighter Association and the Oregon Nurseries Foundation. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, May 14, at 2 p.m. at The Oregon Garden Pavilion in Silverton.