Virginia Barlow

Virginia Barlow, age 93, of Spencer, Iowa died May 16, 2023, at the St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer. Funeral services will take place Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Schaller. Burial will be in the Schaller Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday, May 19, 2023 from 5-7:00 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Schaller. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Schaller is in charge of the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Virginia’s long-time beloved church family, St. Paul Lutheran Church of Schaller. Virginia Ann (Joslin) Barlow, born September 29, 1929 in Sioux City, IA, passed away at the age of 93 years 7 months and 17 days on May 16, 2023. She was the first of seven children born to Lawrence Edwin and Cecelia Kathryn (Koch) Joslin in Sioux City, IA. Virginia was baptized at the Methodist Church in Maskell, Nebraska on April 19, 1939 and confirmed her faith on April 6, 1952 at the St. Paul Lutheran Church of Schaller, IA. Virginia grew up in Nebraska, and when she was in her teens her family moved to Montana. She and her brother, Dale “Sonny”, then moved back to Nebraska for work and Virginia found a job as a house cleaner. Later she moved to Schaller, IA, lived with her aunt and uncle, and worked at the grocery store in Schaller for many years. On October 3, 1952 Virginia was married in the St. Paul Lutheran Church to Cecil Edward Barlow. Two children were born to this union, Jay William in 1959 and Mitchell Alan in 1962. Virginia enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom for the next 14 years while also caring for a few other children as their mothers worked outside the home. Virginia was a Den Mother when her boys were in Boy Scouts. She also enjoyed gardening, fishing, reading, knitting and crocheting. When her boys were older Virginia took a job at the Consolidated Popcorn Company of Schaller packaging popcorn until she retired at age 62. In her retirement years Virginia enjoyed having coffee gatherings with various friends. She and Cecil spent time fishing in Iowa and Canada as well as hunting in Lemon, SD and in the Black Hills National Forest in Montana. Virginia cherished being a grandmother to six and a great grandmother to five. She is survived by her sisters Marvalee “Babe” Fink of Sidney, MT and Gloria Kellerman of Lincoln, NE; brother Lyle (Sharalynn) Joslin of Blair NE; children Jay (Julie) of Spencer, IA, and Mitch (Julie) of Ankeny, IA; grandchildren Carl, Adam (Allison), Kyle (Liz), Marcus (Nick), Garrett (Amanda) and Brittany; great grandchildren Evelyn, Greta, Leo, Hudson and Jack; sisters-in-law Marge Rhuberg of Chaska, MN; Linda Joslin of Sidney, MT; and Janet Joslin of Bloomington, IL; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Cecil; parents Lawrence and Cecilia; siblings Dale “Sonny” who was killed in action during the Korean War, Eddie and Jim; and several brothers and sisters-in-law.

Virginia Barlow

September 29, 1929 - May 16, 2023