Ponder, Barbara Lee (Jack Wolfe) 1930-2024

ANDREW, BUMGARNER, CONFORTI, CRONBAUGH, DEGRADO, ELLIS, EVANSON, FLYNN, HANISCH, IRVIN, JACK, JONES, MOORE, NGUYEN, PONDER, ROBINSON, SCHUCK, VAN DRIMMELEN, WEHNER, WOLFE, RISSEEUW

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 6/13/2024 at 22:23:26

Barbara Lee (Jack Wolfe) Ponder
April 28, 1930 ~ June 10, 2024 (age 94)

Barbara Lee (Jack Wolfe) Ponder, 94, of Newton, IA passed away on June 10, 2024. The family will celebrate her life on Saturday, June 15, 2024, with a visitation at 10 am and funeral service at 11 am at Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. A lunch will follow the service, and the family will then honor her at a private graveside service in her final resting place at Newton Union Cemetery.

Born in Chariton, IA on April 28, 1930, to Frances (Flynn) and Ted Jack, Barb was the oldest of four girls. Residing in Iowa her entire life, Barb’s family moved from Chariton when she was young and spent her childhood years in Des Moines—growing up near 42nd and University. In 1946 her family settled in Newton, where Barb then graduated from Newton High School in 1948.

Soon after high school, Barb met Jim Wolfe and they married in 1950. They had two children, Gary & Mari Jo. While her kids were young, Barb balanced her love for family and her desire to work outside the home by finding part-time jobs at a loan company and a shoe store in downtown Newton—allowing her the flexibility to be home when her kids were out of school each day. As Gary & Mari Jo grew older, Barb continued building her career and spent 18 years as a TV advertising coordinator for Maytag before retiring in 1989. She was fiercely independent, determined, and an inspiring role model to all the women who had the fortune to know her.

Jim passed away in 1995 and Barb continued her life-long involvement with St. Luke United Methodist Church. Through activities at the church, she met William Ponder and they married in 1998. Barb & Bill spent 26 years traveling the country, enjoying time with family, and building happy memories together.

Barb was a take-charge kind of woman—the type of person you call on when you want to get things done. Amongst many activities, she was involved in the American Business Women’s Association, Lady Elks, and the Salvation Army Haven of Hope. She enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, camping, boating, and anything that allowed her to be outdoors. She made the world’s best pickles and unbelievably delicious peanut butter cookies with chocolate kisses on top. She was a supportive parent and grandparent, who always found the perfect gift for each child every Christmas and birthday and never hesitated to offer words of encouragement. She will be missed more than words can express.

Barb is survived by her loving husband, Bill Ponder, her son-in-law John DeGrado, and her children through marriage, Keith (Sharon) Ponder, Paul (Sue) Ponder, and Steven (Marcie) Ponder, Allison Tho Nguyen. Also honoring her memory are her grandchildren Virginia (Rogan) Risseeuw, Shawn Wolfe, Nancy (Bob) Andrew, Jane (Dave) Conforti, Mary (Aarik) Evanson, Abigail Ponder, Jake Ponder, Matthew (Lydia) Ponder, Meredith (Coleby) Ponder-Hanisch, Mitchell (Lexy) Ponder, and Erin (Brandon) Robinson. Barb is also cherished by her great-grandchildren Jackson, Marshall and Charlotte Risseeuw; Brooke (Aiden) Mantarro Moore; Trai, Creighton, and Camryn Andrew; Gianna and Josh Conforti; Ashley (Ryan) Cronbaugh; Parker and Elena Evanson; Kaurissa (Chris) Irvin; and her sisters-in-law Ruth Schuck and Bonnie Ellis.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Jim Wolfe (c. 1995), her son Gary Wolfe (c. 1994), her daughter Mari Jo DeGrado (c. 2022), her three sisters Beverly “Jo” (Bob) Van Drimmelen, Elizabeth (Merwin) Bumgarner, and Sheri (Robert) Anthony-Jones, her siblings-in-law Lois Lisk, Glen Ponder, Wanda Wehner, and Leo Ponder.

Memorial contributions can be made to St. Luke United Methodist Church or the Good Samaritan Fund at Park Centre in Newton.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Barbara Lee (Jack Wolfe) Ponder, please visit our floral store.

Services
VISITATION
Saturday
June 15, 2024
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory
1115 E. 19th St. N.
Newton, IA 50208-2539
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FUNERAL SERVICE
Saturday
June 15, 2024
11:00 AM
Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory
1115 E. 19th St. N.
Newton, IA 50208-2539
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Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tribute Wall ~ The Wallace Family Funeral Home, Newton, Iowa 10 June 2024.