Barbara Vickers

Barbara J. Vickers, age 82 of New Hampton, died Wednesday morning, April 8, 2009, at Mercy Medical Center in New Hampton. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday April 11, 2009, at the United Methodist Church in New Hampton with Pastor Marshall Monthei officiating. Jean Swenson will be the organist accompanying the congregation singing, 'The Old Rugged Cross' and 'Hymn of Promise.' A special CD selection of 'Lost In The Stars' will also be played. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Sparta, WI, with Shane Pugh, Steve Crawford, Jeremiah Pugh, Travis Pugh, Leslie Anne Crawford, Laura Raye Crawford, Kendra Pongracz and Tonya Zeien as pallbearers. Visitation will be 4 - 7 p.m. Friday at the Hugeback & Chenoweth Funeral Home in New Hampton. Further visitation will be one hour prior to the service Saturday at the church. Barbara Jeanne Vickers was born on November 16, 1926, in Morrison, IL, the daughter of Laurence Joseph and Elva Ruth (Gilbert) Burkitt. She received her education in Sparta, WI, graduating from the Sparta High School in 1944. She then attended Northland College in Ashland, WI, and the University of Wisconsin in Madison. On January 29, 1947, in Ashland, WI, she married Charles Danes Vickers and to this union four daughters were born. The couple initially lived in Milwaukee and in 1955 moved to Mapleton, IA, where they owned and operated the Mapleton Theater until selling the business in the late 1960’s. The couple then lived in several Iowa towns including Sioux City, Lake Mills, Des Moines and Jefferson before retiring to Florida. Barbara and Charlie lived in Florida for 17 years before moving to New Hampton to be closer to family. Barbara enjoyed gardening, cooking for her grandchildren, music, her membership in the A-Z Garden Club, her 45 year P.E.O. membership and the United Methodist Church. Survivors include her husband Charlie; four daughters, Jeanne E. Braun of Medina, OH, Francie R. (Steven) Crawford of Fredericksburg, Charlene R. Burgess of Grants Pass, OR, Barbara Jo ‘Bobbi’ (Shane) Pugh of Woodward, IA; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Florence Jones.