Obituary of Bonnie Belle Barenz

Bonnie B Barenz, age 84, passed away on March 8, 2015. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 pm Thursday, March 12, 2015, at Gay and Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City, where a service will be held at 7pm concluding the evening. Entombment will take place at the Memory Gardens Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in Bonnie's memory. Born Bonnie Belle Allen on August 16, 1930, in Plymouth, Iowa. Bonnie graduated from Plymouth High School in Plymouth Iowa in 1948. On October 30, 1949, she married Lenard William Barenz at the Methodist Church in Plymouth IA. They farmed in north central Iowa until December 1956, when they moved to Iowa City, Iowa. Together, they owned and operated the Oak Grove Motel on Highway 6 in Coralville until 1976. Bonnie worked for many years at J.C. Penney, on the catalog counter and in the administrative offices. Upon retirement, Bonnie enjoyed volunteer opportunities, including assisting at flu shot clinics for VNA, and volunteering at Mercy Hospital. Bonnie also participated in the Women's Health Initiative, a 10-year study conducted at the University of Iowa for the National Institutes of Health. Born with a beautiful natural singing voice, Bonnie was a past member of the Iowa City Chorale, and the Iowa Coral Belles, past local chapter of Sweet Adelines. Bonnie loved cooking and baking for her family, and was revered for her pumpkin pie and her yearly batches of pickles. Bonnie is preceded in death by her parents: Iva and Clare Allen, and her brother, Ward Allen. She will be sadly missed by her husband of 65 years, Lenard, their children, sons Richard (Laurie) Barenz of Middle Amana, IA, and Russell (Karen) Barenz of Swisher, IA; her daughter, Rosemary Barenz of Minneapolis, MN; grandchildren: Craig (Lori) Barenz of Marion IA, Troy (Jackie) Barenz, of Austin TX, Stacy Barenz of Clinton IA, and Ryan Barenz, of Cedar Falls IA; great-grandchildren, Morgan Barenz and Dylan Barenz, step-grandchildren, Justin Knottnerus, Taran Knottnerus, and Kristen Kelso, her sisters-in-law Jean Allen of Johnston, IA, and Lillian McKenna of Osage, IA; nieces, nephews, and many other relatives and good friends.