Tamara Voge Conway passed away April 8, 2022, of natural causes. She had been ill for several years; each year more difficult than the previous one. She moved to Avamere in Port Townsend at the end of 2019 and was well taken care of and beloved by the staff.
Tamara Voge Conway, known as T by her family, was born in Berkeley, California to her father Hervey Voge and mother Esther Kocher in May 1941. Her father was a research chemist and worked for Shell Development. She had an older brother Greg and a sister Suzanne who were twins. After graduating from Berkeley High, she went to San Jose State and received her baccalaureate degree in English literature. She was married during her college years and had a daughter, Tara. After graduation, she became a social worker reviewing homes for licensed child care.
One of the significant impacts during her life was a trip she took to Europe when her father was working in Amsterdam for Shell. Together, they traveled throughout the continent. She felt she came back a changed person and it certainly ignited her love of travel. She traveled many times to Russia, England and Europe, crossing the Atlantic multiple times by ship and by air. She also loved train travel and was a huge supporter of Amtrak.
She lived in Florence, Italy and Bergerac France. She moved to Port Townsend in the early 1980s, where she met Simeon Bauer, who became her partner for many years. Her first dwelling in Port Townsend was in an apartment above the Town Tavern overlooking the harbor. She enjoyed working on the ferries and had a wooden houseboat built for her, the Emmylou, since she loved living on the sea. She preferred walking over driving so she gave up her car to walk everywhere instead. She joined the early morning swim group in PT. Whenever she traveled she searched for the local swimming pools and wrote about the many swimming pools she enjoyed in every country. Together Simeon and T shared a boat in Moss Landing and a house in Bergerac, France.
Tamara was an avid reader and movie fan. She was supportive of the Rose Theater and the Silverwater Cafe. Dining out and drinking wine were always favorite pastimes. A special shout out to the Silverwater Cafe, Alchemy Bistro, and Banana Leaf Thai restaurants. She was fond of animals and had many pets over the years; particularly guinea pigs and cats. She made friends wherever she went; she was always outgoing, friendly and a good listener.
As she grew older, she experienced ongoing health problems, particularly walking, which in the last four years meant living in a wheelchair. She is survived by her daughter, Tara Chantel Hopkins; sister, Suzanne Schauwecker; brother, Gregory Voge; and half-brothers, Sheldon Furst and Brendan Voge.
A memorial to remember Tamara will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 8 at the Kitchen Shelter at Fort Worden. Contact Ellen Falconer for details: 360-316-6544.
