Margaret B. BARRY

BARRY, SAGER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/4/2007 at 23:55:33

Margaret B. Barry, 95, formerly of Des Moines, passed away Friday, May 13, 2005, at Green Hills Retirement Center in Ames, IA. Margaret, the daughter of Peter and Emily 'Em' (Sager) Barry, was born September 12, 1909, on the family farm two miles south of Belmond, Iowa, where she developed an appreciation of rural life, nature, animals, and a special love for horse and equestrian activities. Even after she moved to Des Moines to teach, her leisure time was spent horseback riding. Following graduation, from Belmond High School, she attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, IA receiving a B.A. degree in education and later earned her Master's Degree from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Margaret began her teaching career in Tama, IA. A few years later she accepted a position in the Des Moines Public Schools, where she taught high school English for over 40 years until her retirement. She taught at Des Moines Technical High School, where she was also a counselor. Margaret liked to travel and enjoyed many trips to foreign countries. She loved to read, especially the classics, and shared her enthusiasm for famous authors and great literature with her students. Margaret clung to her love of rural living and was thrilled when she had the opportunity to revisit the family farm and check the crops. The young children in the family were very special to her. She nurtured their excitement in reading good books and they looked forward to her fun trips with them to the library. After to moving to Green Hills Retirement Center in Ames, Margaret shared her talents by tutoring Iowa State foreign exchange students. Margaret was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Belmond and St. Augustine's Catholic Church in Des Moines. She was a member of Iowa Council of Teachers of English and Delta Kappa Gamma International teachers association.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Eleanor Barry. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, May 19 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Waverly, Iowa, with Rev. Mike Tauke officiating. Burial will be held in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Waverly. Memorials may be directed to the Margaret B. Barry Cancer Fund at the Iowa Memorial Foundation, 1212 Pleasant St., Des Moines, Iowa 50309. Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly is in charge of arrangements.

Des Moines Register, The (IA)
May 17, 2005