Barbara A. (Caldwell) Edwards

Barbara A. (Caldwell) Edwards, 94, of Clarion passed away Sunday, February 18, 2018 at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion.

Memorial services for Barbara Edwards will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, June 9, 2018 at the First United Methodist Church, 201 3rd Avenue North East in Clarion, with Reverend Mike Gudka officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Barbara’s memory may be directed to First United Methodist Church in Clarion or the Iowa Specialty Hospital Foundation – Clarion.

Barbara Ann, daughter of Chet and Anna (Anderson) Caldwell, was born on March 30, 1923 in the family farm house in Leroy Township, about 2 miles southwest of Audubon. She attended Leroy #8, a one-room school through the seventh grade. She graduated from Audubon Public Schools with the class of 1940. After high school, Barbara attended Van Sant Business College in Omaha. She returned to Audubon in the spring of 1941 and worked in the City Clerk’s office for $30 per month.

On November 28, 1941, Barbara was united in marriage to William D. Edwards at her sister Harriet’s house in Audubon. Bill and Barbara left for Los Angeles, California in Bill’s 1934 Ford. They had jobs waiting at Lockheed Aircraft. They traveled route 66 and arrived on December 3, 1941. Barbara went to work as a procurement clerk in Lockheed for 75 cents an hour. The couple returned to Audubon in 1943 when Bill went into the service. Barbara worked for the extension service in Audubon as an office assistant. In 1948, the couple moved to Ames while Bill attended Iowa State University. In 1971, Bill and Barbara moved to Clarion.

Barbara enjoyed sewing and counted cross stitch, along with various genealogy projects. Bill and Barbara enjoyed traveling overs the years, traveling to all 50 states, Mexico, Canada, Nova Scotia, Europe, and through the Panama Canal. Barbara was a member of the First United Methodist Church, PEO Sisterhood, Daughters of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Colonists and Colonial Dames 17th Century.

Barbara is survived by her three children Ellen (Frank) Jessen of Urbandale, Paul (Diane) Edwards of Clarion, and Chet (Lynn) Edwards of Portland, OR; six grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Ruth Edwards, and brother-in-law Ron (Sue) Edwards; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband, parents; and four siblings.