In Loving Memory of
Barbara Ellis Engram
of Seattle, WA
09/08/1937 – 05/16/2025
She earned a bachelor’s degree in education, mathematics, and fine arts at The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and master’s and doctoral degrees in counseling at the University of Maryland. Barbara worked as a clinical psychologist in several settings in the Washington, D.C. area, including St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, as clinical director at Keystone Counseling Center at the U.S. Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan, and was a lecturer in psychology at several locations of the University of Maryland’s Far East Division in Japan.
She later served as assistant director of education, counseling, and personnel services at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, then as director of counseling at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, and then as associate dean of students at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. She moved to Seattle in the mid-1990s.
Barbara’s lifelong passion for landscape design inspired her to pursue a degree in horticulture at Edmonds Community College. She then worked as a landscape designer until her death. She was particularly interested in principles of landscaping as practiced in Japan, where she had traveled frequently, and thoroughly immersed herself in Japanese culture, among her accomplishments earning a black belt in karate during her time there.
After an internship at the Japanese Gardens at the Seattle Arboretum, she went on to design and implement a number of landscaping projects in the greater Seattle area. Barbara was selfless in the amount of time and effort she provided for friends in need, even as her own health was declining.
For more than 20 years she lived on her houseboat on the north shore of Lake Union, which allowed her to enjoy the marina community, witness wildlife around the lake and excellent view of the city, and indulge in some of her many passions and interests.
Barbara was always informed, fiercely independent, principled, highly articulate, and outspoken on matters ranging from fundamental rights, politics, the arts, and many other subjects. While open to new ideas, she remained thoroughly self-assured in defense of her liberal views of society and government. In all of this, she maintained a well-honed sense of humor and charm.
Barbara was preceded in death by two sisters, Mary Elizabeth (Bettie) Engram and Augusta (Bootsie) Engram. She is survived by two sons, John Bryant of Reliance, Tennessee, and Joe Bryant of Strasburg, Virginia, her niece Karen Moen of Portsmouth, Virginia, several other nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, as well as many friends, including a number of landscaping clients whose projects were ongoing and with whom she developed warm personal relationships.
It is fitting that she will live on in the beautiful works she leaves behind and which continue to flourish as a lasting part of her legacy.
Barbara was my friend, a client, a fellow house boat dweller, a staunch supporter of the house life, and a grand conversationalist.
I was lucky to spend many hours. I’m sitting with her in her house boat.Just visiting… It was without question, one of the most charming houseboats on the lake.. Many of the items there, she had crafted herself from a cabinetry of course.She took out the community college. She took that course from a talented cabinetry teacher, who had been there for over twenty years, and they became fond friends, Keith.
I was lucky enough that she shared Keith with me as well. What is unlikely due to her influence? Keith purchased the houseboat of his own.
We did not know, Keith and I, that our dinner with Barbara in april would be our last. But oh it was a wonderful evening with a grand lady!!
Barbara left me with a beautiful garden and an appreciation for landscape design. I was fortunate to continue seeing her as the garden grew in and enjoy many a conversation over politics and science and popular culture. Always well informed and opinionated, I learned from her and enjoyed our time together.