Barbara Ellen (Ahlstrom) WATNE

WATNE, AHLSTROM, TROTT, AMUNDSON, HOEKSTRA, LOBDELL, KOLBECK, HALFPOP, SOMA, MCNERTNEY, CASE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 8/25/2009 at 11:06:41

Barbara E. (Ahlstrom) Watne, age 62, of Belmond, died Saturday (Aug. 22, 2009) at the Rehabilitation Center of Belmond surrounded by the love and prayers of her family following a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 304 Third Ave. N.E., Belmond. The Rev. Troy Pflibsen will be officiating assisted by Stan Watne. Burial will be in the Belmond Cemetery, Belmond. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, at the Andrews Funeral Home, 516 First St. S.E., Belmond, and continue one hour prior to the services at the church Tuesday. The family has requested any memorials be directed to Wright County Hospice, Trinity Lutheran Church Sunday School or the Rehabilitation Center of Belmond.

Barbara Ellen Ahlstrom was born July 13, 1947, in Belmond to Stanley and Beulah (Trott) Ahlstrom. She was baptized in Hyattsville, Md., in December of 1947. After graduating from Belmond High School in 1965 and Hamilton Business College of Mason City in 1966, she worked for Leland Jenison-Consulting Engineer of Belmond for two years. In the earlier years of her life, Barb was an active member of E.U.B (today's Goodell United Methodist Church) as a Sunday School and Bible School teacher. On Sept. 22, 1968, she married Ted Watne at the Goodell United Methodist Church. After their marriage she transferred her membership to Trinity Lutheran Church in Belmond. The two of them were blessed with two sons, Troy (Heidi Amundson) Watne and Lance (Melysa Hoekstra) Watne, and five grandchildren, Paige and Kyle (Troy's), and Cody, Brandon and Kendra (Lance's), all of Belmond. Barb worked as a Tupperware representative, a stay-at-home mom and finally for Tom Hill at True Value in Belmond for over 25 years before her illness forced her to retire. She enjoyed road trips with Ted, the children and grandchildren; going to work every day at True Value; the bus trips with her friends; and trips to Florida, Georgia, her Alaskan cruise and trips to the East Coast to see family. Barb looked forward to any opportunity for a shopping excursion and if the outing included the grandchildren they would definitely have to include a stop at McDonald's along the way for a treat with Grandma Barb. Barb was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Belmond and had been involved with the WELCA there, the Belmond VFW Auxiliary, the Goodell American Legion Auxiliary and the Belmond Community Service Women. She held the treasurer position in many of these orgainzations as her bookkeeping skills were impeccable. As many who knew her knew she was a giver and not a taker. She always worried that her family was happy and did whatever it took to make that happen. She gave from her heart and never expected anything in return. During her illness, this is one area that was hard for her to become the receiver. Barb never wanted to be the center of attention. A woman of strength and faith she is the "glue" that kept the family together. Saturday afternoon family dinners, her baking treats - especially her Kringla, her bargain shopping, the way she worried and cared about everyone, her keen sense and unbelieveable memory, her strong-hearted compassion, perseverance, and postive attitude - these are the things that will never be forgotten by her family and friends.

She is survived by her husband, Ted; sons, Troy (Heidi) and Lance (Melysa); grandchildren, Cody, Paige, Brandon, Kyle and Kendra; sister, Sonja (Brett) Lobdell, all of Belmond; numerous nieces and nephews; her sisters-in law, Marcia (Earl) Kolbeck of Ashton, Susan (Leland) Halfpop of Goodell, Phoebe (Charles) Soma of Belmond and Norma (Jerry) McNertney, of Nevada; her brothers-in-law, Jon Watne of Clarion and Craig (Connie) Watne of Belmond; and countless friends. Those who preceded her in death are her parents, Stanley and Beulah (Trott) Ahlstrom and her mother-in-law and father-in-law, John and Evelyn (Case) Watne. Andrews Funeral Home, Belmond.

Mason City Globe Gazette, Iowa
August 24, 2009