Barbara Kalen died in Skagway in early October 2011. She was an enthusiastic musician and a long-time friend and member of the Alaska Folk Festival (and folk music in general)

We saw her sing and play her autoharp on stage many times. Barbara called her group the "Skagway Beach Picnic", named after the music parties she hosted at her cabin near Dyea. Many different people played and sang in her sets but in later years especially enjoyed the company of Pete and Mary Beattie from Whitehorse. She delighted in performing songs that are not often heard today.

She was a fine painter, a keen photographer, a good reporter and a seasoned business woman. Maybe you heard her tell about collecting the seeds of lodgepole pine cones for replanting in Iceland? Maybe you saw her ride her bicycle in every Fourth of July Skagway parade? Maybe you read her letters to the editor? She was ready to state her opinion when needed and was a pioneer feminist. She was born in the Golden North Hotel and went on to lived her whole life in Skagway.

She loved music and sang at her church regularly. At the Folk Festival, she met up with old friends and made new ones every year. She led workshops in autoharp playing for years. Silly songs, such as "My Rhinoceros" or "She Waded in the Water", were some of her favorites, especially if there were youngsters around. Barbara extended friendly hospitality and created many beach picnics. She organized the International Folk Festival that extends Folk Festival by offering folk music in both Skagway and Whitehorse.

We will miss our friend with her hat covered with Folk Festival performer buttons. Her daughter has said a memorial is scheduled for the spring, when children and grandchildren return to Skagway for the tourist season.

Martha Stey's favorite Barb Kalen Memory: We took my dad, Wayne Scott---a jazz pianist---up to Skagway for the International Music Festival in late April 2001. He sat down at Barb's piano and said, "Hey! Let's play all the songs we can think of that have women's names in the song titles." Barb and Wayne sang and played for two hours non-stop, much to the delight of everyone gathered in Barb's living room. We sang along to "K-K-K-Katy", "Peg O' My Heart", "Josephine and Her Flying Machine", "Wait 'Til the Sun Shines Nellie" and so many many more. Barb was the most animated I'd ever seen her, just like a kid in the candy store. She could have kept singing all night long.