JoAnn Barten

JoAnn Schmidt Barten was born on 19 February 1942 to Herman Jorgen Nielsen Schmidt and Margaret Martha Porsch Schmidt at their farm home immediately east of Fiscus. She was baptized on 22 March 1942 at Ebenezer Lutheran Church by Pastor M. P. Bollesen. She attended country school at Spring Valley Douglas #4 for Primary and First grades. Her parents moved to a farm 4 miles west of Audubon in Douglas Township where they farmed and resided until they retired. JoAnn attended Lone Willow School Douglas #6 grades second through sixth. She had many fond memories of her country schoolteacher. Many L. (Mrs. John) Kempf. She then attended 7th and grades at Audubon Junior High as the number of students at the country school was too high for the country school and one teacher. She was confirmed on 25 March 1956 at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, west of Audubon, by Pastor J. Plantz. She attended Audubon High School for four years and was a graduate in the Class of 1960. The other members of her immediate family were her sister, Phyllis E. Schmidt Hoffman (27 March 1947 - 09 October 2022) and her husband Thomas G. Hoffman (1946 - 2015), and a cousin Robert "Bob" L. Froyd (1938 - 1995) who lived with the Schmidt family for many years.

She married Roger Gene Barten, of Botna, on 16 October 1960 at Ebenezer Lutheran Church by Rev. P. C. Jensen. Four children were born to JoAnn and Roger: Douglas Gene, Dennis Dean, Gary Lynn and Kristi Sue Siwajek. They lived in and near Manning until 1970. Roger was employed by Puck Implement from 1960 until 1970. On 01 March 1970 the family moved to the Schmidt farm west of Audubon. Eventually, Mom became the proud 4th generation owner of the Schmidt farm originally purchased by her great-grandparents Niels and Maren Schmidt in 1889. In addition to helping on the farm JoAnn also work at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital as a cook for 5 years and as the Dietary Manager for 20 years. She was a Certified Dietary Manager after completing the course work at DMACC. She was a member of and President of the Iowa Dietary Managers Association in 2001-2002. For the years 2003-2005 she was a Director-at-Large for the National DMA Board of Directors. She retired on 09 May 2008. Her husband, Roger, passed away in 2016. JoAnn remained on the farm until 02 January 2024 when she moved to Manning Senior Living. On 20 November 2025 she moved to the Friendship Home in Audubon.

She was a member of the 3M Club and the ODO Club. JoAnn sang with the church choir and served on the church council at Ebenezer where she was a long-time member. Leisure reading, flower gardening and tending to a small vegetable garden were favorite hobbies. JoAnn and Roger spent many years involved in a local Square Dance group — the Audubon A's — and later became great fans of the Midwest's Polka Festivals, traveling to many Midwestern States for a good polka festival. Favorite Polka Bands were Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen and Karl & the Country Dutchmen.

JoAnn is survived by her four children, one daughter-in-law Dawn Marie Barten, and one son-in-law, Gary Siwajek. She leaves behind her four grandchildren: John, Karsten, Elizabeth Barten and Audrey Siwajek. Her sister- and brother-in law, Linda Barten and Steve Atkins, also survive. Surviving nieces and nephews: Jerry Hoffman, Steve Hoffman, Brian Hoffman, and Jenny Hoffman Boelter; Bryan Armentrout, Derek Armentrout and Tanya Armentrout Purdy; Mark Barten and Matthew Barten; Amber Atkins Willman and Kelly Atkins Medanic.

Surviving paternal cousins: Janet Petersen Tryon and Everett Petersen (parents: Lucille and Emanuel Petersen): Lynette Schmidt Spetman and Jerry Schmidt (parents: Victor and Irene Schmidt). Her surviving maternal cousins: Marvin Jo Porsch (parents: Herman and Elsie Porsch); Twyla Schultz Mitson, Darwin Schultz and Myles Schultz (parents: Erna and Ray Schultz); Lynn Porsch, Laurel Porsch Greif (parents: Otto and Darlene Porsch); and Arnie Porsch, Carolyn Porsch Schock Gottlieb, and Christine Porsch Thollander (parents: Arnold and Katie Porsch).

JoAnn was preceded in death by her husband, Roger on 15 February 2016; her parents Herman and Margaret Schmidt; her mother- and father-in-law John and Elda Barten; grandparents Soren and Anna Schmidt and Adolf and Marie Porsch; her sister- and brother-in-law Phyllis Elaine Schmidt Hoffman and Thomas G. Hoffman; sisters- and brothers-in-law: Dorothy Barten Armentrout and Richard Armentrout and Robert Barten and Diane Allen Barten. Aunts, uncles and cousins: Lucille and Emanuel Petersen, Victor and Irene Schmidt and cousin Wendell; Anna and Lawrence Petersen and cousins Dorothy Petersen Lange amd Ivan Petersen; Herman and Elsie Porsch and cousin Judy Porsch; Richard Porsch (1913 — 1925); Marie Froyd and cousins Donald Froyd and Robert Froyd; Erna Porsch Schultz and Ray Schultz; Otto Porsch and Darlene Stoelk Porsch and cousins Lanny Porsch and Larry Porsch (t 1963); and Arnold Porsch and Katie Schmidt Porsch.

Honorary urn bearers will be her grandchildren: John Barten, Karsten Barten, Elizabeth Barten and Audrey Siwajek.

Our Mom wanted to express her sincere appreciation for the years of having wonderful friends in the Class of 1960, good neighbors in Douglas Township; good friends in Audubon (town and country), wonderful co-workers at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital, especially in the Dietary Department; and for being blessed with dear family members — Roger, her children and grandchildren, her parents and parents-in-law, sister, Phyllis, cousin Robert "Bob" Froyd and all brothers- and sisters-in-law, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. And many more too numerous to list (esp. Polka friends) who made a positive difference in her life.

Må hun hvile i fred! = May she rest in Peace!

Visitation and memorial service dates and times are pending.