F. Louise Barnes

Louise Barnes, age 88, of Austin, Minnesota, left this life and went to be with her Lord on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.

Florence Louise Bateman was born June 28, 1937, in rural Sherman County, Kansas, the daughter of Henry and Doris (Elliott) Bateman. She attended Shermanville Country School, then the Edson Consolidated School. After graduating in 1955 she worked one year at the county newspaper before attending Minnesota Bible College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, graduating in 1960. After college she worked as the Christian Education director and secretary at churches in Xenia, Ohio, and then Austin, Minnesota.

In 1968 she married Donald Barnes, beginning a 57-year marriage blessed with two children. A dedicated homemaker, Louise loved rearing their children and later seeing her five grandchildren arrive and grow up.

As a new wife, she embraced life back on a farm. She gathered eggs in the 6,000 bird laying house. Her love of all things growing was evident in her gardening, preserving, and flower arranging. She was a talented seamstress, fashioning most of her own clothes during her lifetime and sewing outfits for the children as they grew up. She also used those skills while working at Drapery Services and Loni’s Bridal Sweet, both in Austin. Her greatest joy during these years was being a wife and a mom, supporting and encouraging her family.

After moving into Austin in 1992, Louise was able to participate in the Mower County Horticulture Society, serving as secretary for 14 years, and as superintendent of the Horticulture building at the Mower County Fair for 18 years. She was able to take needlework classes, have a special friends’ Bible study, and be more active in her congregation, Grace Baptist Church. Louise loved her Lord and showed her heart for service by teaching the women’s Sunday School class and being a part of the church’s mission committee.

Upon Don’s retirement, she and Don enjoyed taking car rides in the country and were blessed to be able to go on many bus trips, take cruises to Alaska and the Panama Canal, and visit Europe and the Holy Land.

The common thread through her entire life was faith in God and Jesus Christ, her Lord. This was instilled in her by her parents growing up and strengthened at Bible College. It was core to her parenting. She loved teaching others, both kids and adults. Her faith was strong, and she trusted in God’s providence and her salvation.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers John Bateman, Carl Bateman, and sister-in-law, Betty Bateman.

Louise is survived by her husband, Donald; children, Amy (Dan) Rector of Rochester, MN, and Brian (Kathy) Barnes of Woodstock, IL; grandchildren Emma and Adam Rector, and Nathan, Hannah, and Lydia Barnes; nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A funeral service for Louise will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at Grace Baptist Church in Austin. The visitation will take place from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Monday, January 5, at St. Marks Living in Austin, and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. Interment will be in Woodbury Cemetery, Lyle, Minnesota. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to Grace Baptist Church – Missions. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes of Austin are assisting the family with arrangements.