Obituary of Barbara Jean Boyle

Barbara J. Boyle, age 74 of rural Williamsburg, died Thursday, August 8, 2024, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City from complications of an apparent heart attack.

Barbara Jean Boyle was born May 31, 1950, the daughter of Adrienne Warneke and later adopted by Francis and Lorraine (Klein) Boyle.

Her family includes brothers, Bill Warneke (Valerie) and Carl Warneke; Aunt Anne Zickus  and Uncle Chuck, Aunt Nancy Cummings, Aunt Gail Carlson. Cousins, Marty Carlson (Sherry), Joseph Carlson (Ann), Catherine Bousquet (Chris), Carolyn Cummings (Tom), Christine Cummings (Todd Secki), Kathleen O’Shea (Terry) and Charles Zickus and many other family and many friends.

She was preceded in death by Aunt Joan Beasley and Uncle Michael Cummings

Following graduation from high school, she did the college route receiving her degrees.  But soon figured out her calling in life was to be an advocate for mother nature, an avid naturalist would be putting it lightly!  She had worked in coops in the 1990’s, then with a number of her friends formed the Johnson County Songbird Project, a project to address the declining bird populations. This led her to spearheading the Althea R. Sherman Project, which was responsible for relocating and restoring the historic Sherman Chimney Swift’s Tower. She also was responsible for the microfilming Althea Sherman’s voluminous bird journals and having the University of Iowa Press republish Sherman’s posthumously-published book, “Birds of an Iowa Dooryard”. She was one that practiced what she preached, her two rural properties are intentional bird sanctuaries, with many of the native plants that support the many species of birds that she has attracted over the years.  In addition to her love of nature, she was also a gifted musician and artist, with many of her works shared with family and friends.

Memorial services will be held at Bickett-Rate Memorial Preserve (225th. Street, Tipton, Iowa) beginning at 10am on Saturday, September 14, 2024.   In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made in Barb’s memory to the Bickett-Rate Memorial Preserve, The Cedar County Historical Society or the SongBird Project. To share thoughts, memories or condolence with her family please visit Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service website @ www.gayandciha.com.