William H. Barz

William H. Barz, 89, of Dows passed away in peace surrounded by loved ones on Thursday, September 19, 2019 at MercyOne North Iowa Hospice in Mason City.

Funeral services for Bill Barz will be held on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 2:30 PM at the Dows Community Center, 119 East Ellsworth Street in Dows, with Pastor Nancy Hofmeister officiating.  Burial will take place at Fairview Cemetery in Dows.

Visitation will begin at 1:00 PM prior to services at the Dows Community Center on Tuesday.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Fisher Center For Alzheimer's Research Foundation or Fisher House Foundation (Veterans).

“What matters most is the dash between those years.” – Linda Ellis

Bill is preceded in death by his wife, Donna Barz, daughter Cinda Barz, granddaughter Staci Mitchell, parents Herbert and Margaret Barz, and siblings Robert Barz and Bertha Aldrich. He is survived by son Kurt Barz (Amber), grandchildren Tiffany Zink (Nathan) and Brent Barz, great grandchild Xavier Zink, and sibling Irene Keleher.

Bill will be fondly remembered by family and friends as a loving husband, father, United States Army Purple Heart Veteran, great hugger, cherished friend, incredible athlete, giant-hearted, giant-handed man.

Here are a few of the memories Bill’s family would like to share:

“Bill and I had such fun together. He took me places that I would have never seen without him. He called me every night when I was home alone to make sure I was OK and instantly made me smile as soon as I picked up the phone. ‘Hello, this is Rachet A**, how are you doing tonight?’” – Janice Barz

“Bill loved to drive. He put more miles on his car in a month than a lot of people do in a year. His one-finger farmer wave was a given. But if someone cut him off in traffic, it wasn’t pretty. He wasn’t the greatest golfer, but he was the greatest to golf with. When he got to his ball, it was often ‘still rolling.’ When it comes to baseball, he remembered every detail of every game; who got him out and who he got out. When it comes to college sports, he was a diehard Hawkeye fan even though he went to Iowa State. You could always count on him for ice cream, a mean chocolate chip cookie, a western book on his side table, breakfast at Midtown, and to get in the car head first! Who goes in a car head first besides Bill? His hands were about the size of his heart—extra, extra large. The only time he and Donna ever missed a high school game we were playing was when we both played on the same night, so he and Donna would split up. He always worked hard until the work was finished. He was the best hugger, a war hero, and our hero. He was so proud of us; he made us feel incredibly loved,” – Tiffany Zink and Brent Barz

“Bill always made me feel special. When I took a walk with him, he always walked on the street side, so the horses wouldn’t bite me and the cars wouldn’t run me over. I don’t remember a time when he didn’t open the door for me. He frequently called me and said, ‘Am, can I ask you a question?’ And my response was always, ‘You just did.’ I loved him dearly and I will miss him everyday.” – Amber Barz

“When I was little, we would go to the car races a couple times a week. When I got old enough that I was no longer free, Bill bought a station wagon so I could get on the floor and they could fold the seat down. We didn’t have to pay admission, but we had to pay for the car! Bill did everything with a incredible work ethic: he farmed, he worked at Maytag, he shingled, he did whatever he had to do to make a good life for us. I am incredibly proud to call him Dad, only I was smart a** so I called him Billy and he called me Kurty. He was a great father, a great husband, and he loved the whole family dearly. He and Donna loved to dance and he and Janice continued the tradition. I love you Billy. I hope to see you again in a few decades.” – Kurt Barz

Bill often danced in this room, so we thought it was the perfect place to celebrate his life. He made the most in the dash between the day he was born and the day he died. His “dash” was a special one. We are blessed to have loved him.

The Barz Family

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”

Dance Billy, Dance.