Edwin E. ‘Ed’Barron, 30 Aug 1941 – 04 Oct 2013

BARRON, THOMSON, MORGAN, RATHJEN, ZIEGER, CRINER, RYKEN, ROWE

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 10/25/2013 at 14:57:55

Edwin Barron, 72

Edwin “Ed” E. Barron, 72, Millersburg, passed Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, in Billings, Mont., with his family at his side.

Celebration of Life services were Friday, Oct. 11, at the Community Church, rural Deep River, with the Rev. Edwin Jordan officiating. Burial is at Genoa Bluff Cemetery, rural Ladora. Organist was Dolores Grimm, and vocalist was Edwin Jordan. Casket bearers were Elmer Grimm, Harold Joseph, Wayne Meyer, David Horras, Gary Armstrong and Chad Clabaugh; honorary casket bearers were Darryl Grimm, Larry Goodman and Arlo Tish.

Visitation was Thursday, Oct. 10, at Powell Funeral Home, Williamsburg.

A general memorial fund had been established. Messages and tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com under obituaries.

Ed was born at home in Hedrick, Iowa on August 30, 1941, to Corby and Alice Mae (Thomson) Barron, and he was raised in Oskaloosa where his family lived and farmed. He graduated from Oskaloosa High School, and played the trombone in the Oskaloosa city band. Edwin and his first wife Joann (Morgan) married in 1961, and made their home in Cedar Rapids, and to this union were blessed with two children, Rhonda and Lee. Ed worked at Rockwell Goss and began custom farming, until they moved to Millersburg Iowa, in 1970 to farm the family farm. Ed and Joann later divorced.

Ed married Rita Rathjen in 1987 and they made their home in Millersburg, and Ed continued farming until 2002 and worked until he retired at Kinze Manufacturing. Ed moved to Billings in June 2013 where he lived near his children, Rhonda and Lee, until his death.

Ed enjoyed many pastimes and hobbies throughout his life that included stock car racing in his early years, dancing, restoring antique tractors, toy tractor collecting, and he was very active in the Ruritans. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and one of his greatest joys were going on the great Iowa tractorcades with his friends.

Ed is survived by his daughter Rhonda (Joel) Zieger, son Lee Barron, of Billings, Montana; grandson Corby, of Euless, Texas; three sisters, Evelyn (Richard) Criner of Boone; Faira Louise (Donald) of Eddyville, Carolyn (Gene) Ryken of Shiloh, Illinois; sister-in-law Linda Barron of Cedar Rapids; three step-children, Steven Rathjen of Williamsburg, Sharon (Bruce) Rowe of Dubuque; and Susan (Joe) Brause, of Gilbert; eight step-grandchildren, Andrew, Amanda, Shannon, Amy, Kimberly, Joshua, Austin, Chelsea; and four step-great grandchildren; and his many nieces and nephews, and a brother-in-law Don (Connie) Sheda.
He was preceded in death by his wife Rita, his brother Jon Barron, and his parents Corby and Alice Mae.

“The family would like to extend a special thank you to the loving and caring staff at Highgate Senior Living in Billings, Mont., and the third floor nursing staff at the Billings Clinic Hospital for their special care and compassion of dad during his final days, and after a long and courageous fight with Parkinson’s.

The Williamsburg Journal Tribune Iowa County Obituaries 17 Oct 2013
Published Oct. 08, 2013 in The Gazette