Barbara Jean Major, 61, died May 29.

Major was born in Canton, Ohio to J.E. Holmes Jr. and Mary Blanche Holmes.

She received her AA degree from Stephens College in 1964 and her BA at UC-Santa Barbara in 1965. While at UCSB, she helped establish a chapter of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She went on to earn her teaching credentials at San Francisco State while teaching the sixth grade at Hawes Elementary School from 1965 to 1970. She was named Teacher of the Year in 1969.

While attending graduate school, she met Harvey Warren Major. They were married in 1967 and had three children. While her husband pursued his career at Lockheed Martin, she was active in community affairs. She served on and chaired the Saratoga School PTA Board for nine years, was a Brownie leader for three years, and was active at St. Andrews Episcopal Church as a Sunday School teacher for 12 years. In addition, she served on the Santa Clara County Election Board in Saratoga from 1978 to 1999. She also worked part time at the West Valley College Bookstore from 1980 to 1994 and was a substitute teacher in the Saratoga, Los Gatos and Cupertino districts for four years.

In 1995, Major joined the Montalvo Service Group and the Saratoga Lions Club, and began working part time at Tiger/Tiger Decorating and Gift Shop. As a member of Montalvo, she was on the Board of Directors and chaired or volunteered for numerous projects such as the Yuletide event during the holidays. In 1999, Major became the president of the Lions Club--only the second woman in the history of the club to hold the position to that date. In that same year, she was awarded the Women of Achievement Award by the California Federation of Business and Professional Women.

Major was also a member of the daughters of the American Revolution and the Red Hat Society, and kept an active social life with bingo and bunko games. She traveled extensively, visiting Europe, Russia, China and all 50 states.

She is survived by her son Jeffrey Warren Major of Capitola, her son John Franklin Major of Sunnyvale, her daughter Elizabeth Major Shelor of Redondo Beach, and her two grandchildren, Haley Jennette and Joseph Jefferson Major of Capitola.

Memorial services were held on June 11 at Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church in Saratoga. Internment will be at the Hillside Memorial Cemetery in Redlands, Calif. on June 25. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be sent to the American Cancer Society or a charity of choice.