Ihlajean M. Barz

Ihla M. Barz, 94, of Garner, passed away Wednesday, December 27, 2023, in Des Moines.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church in Garner with Rev. Brian Lund officiating. Burial will be at Concord Township Cemetery.

To view her service on our YouTube Channel please click the following link:  https://youtu.be/ltga3XlUTTI

Visitation will be held one hour before services at the church on Wednesday. 

Memorials may be directed to the Garner Volunteer Ambulance Service.

Ihlajean Marie Barz, the daughter of Henry and Gay (Roggeman) Johnson, was born August 2, 1929, in Murray County, Minnesota. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. She attended rural school through the eighth grade and graduated from Garner High School in 1947. After graduation, she attended business school in Des Moines. Ihla began working at Standard Oil Company in Mason City. On October 17, 1947, she married Allen Barz at Immanuel Reformed United Church of Christ in Klemme. They made their home in Klemme until moving to Garner in 1957. To this union three sons were born:  Mark, Michael and Dan.  Each graduated from Garner. Ihla and Al were members of Zion Church in Garner where Ihla was active in the Women’s Fellowship, Youth Fellowship and on the parsonage building committee. Ihla also helped in the Cub Scouts program and served on the Prairie View board for several years.  She enjoyed reading and walking, especially at McIntosh Woods in Ventura.

Ihla is survived by her sons, Mark (Dalena) Barz of Ventura and Mike Barz of Garner; four grandchildren, Nathan Barz, Erika Kirby, Norra (Ryan) Dakin and Melissa (Robb) Pfohl; six great-grandchildren, Sam and Meredith Kirby, Casper and Evan Muessigman and Korie and Ell Prindle;  Rotary exchange student son, Anders Borjesson from Sweden; six siblings, Kathryn Burgener of Mesa, AZ, Carol Smith of Albert Lea, MN, Vonnie (Jim) Swanson of Palm Desert, CA, Bob Johnson of Albert Lea, MN, Diane (Kent) Dugstad of Zumbrota, MN and Cindy (Dean) Kirkpatrick of Salome, AZ; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Allen, Feb. 2, 2005; son, Daniel; sister, Betty Tompkins; brother, Sonny Johnson; sisters-in-law, Jolynn Johnson, Avis Hagen, Gladys Barz, and Vi Barz; and brothers-in-law, Merlyn Burgener, Dean Tompkins, Charles Smith, Evert Barz, Eldon Hagen and Ray Barz; nieces, Barbara Tompkins and Cheri Sue Hagen; and nephew, Craig Burgener.