Barth, Vivian Ilean (Erickson) -- 1921 - 2004

BARTH, ERICKSON, SORENSON, HJELMELAND, ROHER, LUNDY, TAYLOR, NELSON, GOEHNER, BARTH, ANDERSON, RILLING

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 7/21/2012 at 13:05:13

Vivian I. Barth, age 82, of Decorah, Iowa, died Thursday evening, June 17, 2004 at Methodist Hospital in Rochester Minnesota following a long illness.

Funeral Service is on Monday, June 21, 2004 at 1:30 P.M. at Decorah Lutheran Church, by Rev. James Glesne, with burial in Springwater Cemetery in rural Decorah.

Visitation is on Sunday, June 20, 2004 from 3:00-6:00 P.M. at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah where a VFW Auxiliary Memorial Service will be held at 5:30 P.M., and on Monday after 12:30 P.M. at the church.

Vivian Ilean (Erickson) Barth daughter of Oscar and Marie (Sorenson) Erickson was born on October 25, 1921 on her parent’s farm in Canoe Township, Winneshiek County IA. She was confirmed in 1935 at Decorah Lutheran Church. Vivian had five brothers and 2 sisters, Chester, Harold, Wallace, Arthur, and Merlan, Edith Hjelmeland and Leona Roher. Brothers Chester, Wallace, Merlan and sister Edith Hjelmeland precede her in death and also by both parents.

Vivian married Grant Jewell Barth on November 5, 1939 at St Johns Lutheran Church, Locust, IA. Vivian and Grant had made their home in or near Decorah since their marriage. Vivian was the head cook at “Ostrander” restaurant in Decorah for many years and later served as assistant food service director at Luther College. Along with Grant they operated the A & W Drive In at Decorah. Together they owned and operated “Ronnie’s Café” for 26 years. To this date Ronnie’s was noted for their famous Ronnie’s Cinnamon Rolls. They did all their baking starting at 1:30 in the morning. Many times they would start baking at 4:30 the night before and bake the rolls if they had big orders. They would make as many as 90 dozen rolls a night. Grant would bake all the pies while Vivian would work on the rolls and get ready for the restaurant to open at 5 AM (Monday through Saturday). All of her specials were made from scratch. Many memories are from that time.

Vivian and Grant had seven children. She was preceded in death by her husband, Grant on January 19, 1999 and their oldest son, Otis (28 May 1940-25 December, 1961) who is buried at Springwater Cemetery.

She was a member of Decorah Lutheran Church and the Decorah VFW Auxiliary.

She leaves to mourn her loss, a daughter and son-in-law, Norma and Dale Lundy, Decorah, five sons Glendon, Gary, Terry and his wife Lisa, all of Decorah, Duane of Lansing, IA, Daryl and wife Shelley, Jacksonville, Florida; five grandchildren Suzanne Taylor and her husband Lyle, Spring Valley, MN, Krisanne Nelson and her husband Craig, Rochester, MN. Daughters of Norma and Dale Lundy; Andrea Goehner and her husband Adam of Chicago, IL, Sara Barth, Madison, WI, Kari Barth, Minneapolis, MN, daughters of Daryl and Shelley; four great-grandchildren, Michael, Nicholas, and Megan Taylor, Spring Valley, MN, Alexis Nelson of Rochester, MN, one sister, Leona Roher of Decorah, and two brothers Harold of Green Lea Manor, Mabel, MN, and Arthur of Decorah, one sister-in-law, June Anderson and her husband Palmer of Decorah, one brother-in-law, Glen Rilling of Decorah, several nieces and nephews, cousins, and other relatives and numerous friends.

“Good Bye Sam”

Blessed be her memory.

Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database

Springwater Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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