Barbara Vick, 94

Nov. 11, 1926 —

May 15, 2021

 

RIDGEWAY - Barbara R. Vick, age 94, of Ridgeway, Iowa, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Saturday evening, May 15, 2021 at Regional Health Services of Howard County in Cresco, Iowa.

Funeral services were held on Thursday, May 20, 2021 at Peace Lutheran Church in Ridgeway, with Rev. Jim Scaife officiating. Burial was in Lincoln Cemetery. 

Barbara Ruth Vick was born on Nov. 11, 1926, in St. Paul, Minn., to Norris and Ruth (Olsen) Nelson. She was baptized on Jan. 16, 1927, and confirmed on June 2, 1940, both at Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill in St. Paul. She loved St. Paul and frequented Como Park growing up. She graduated from Wilson High School and attended Luther College for two years. She met her husband there, after the servicemen came home from the war.

On Nov. 25, 1946, she was married to Marlin Vick at Christ Church in St. Paul. They had three sons, David, Robert and Roger, and three daughters, Laura, Martha and Luann. 

Barb worked at Darling Drug Store in Decorah while Marlin finished college. They lived in Iowa City for a time, then moved to St. Paul, where they lived for three years. In 1952, they moved to the farm north of Ridgeway, and Barb was introduced to farm life, which she dearly loved.

Marlin died on Oct. 23, 1987, and Barb continued to live and work on the farm with her son, Robert. She stayed connected to her local congregation, Peace Lutheran Church, and loved spending time with her children and family. The farm was a gathering place for all to celebrate birthdays and holidays. She loved to spend time cooking and baking her favorite Norwegian goodies, which usually left her covered with flour.

She always had pets to love at home, most recently her cat Tuki, who loved snuggling up with her at bedtime or watching TV.

Music was something she deeply loved, from listening to her favorite songs on repeat, to singing hymns on Sunday or carols around the tree at Christmas. You could always count on her to know the words to every verse by heart.

Her caring nature and sense of humor was contagious to everyone she met. She lived a beautiful, long life surrounded by her loved ones and remained steadfast in her faith in Jesus.

Barbara is survived by her children, David Vick of Rochester, Minn., Laura (Richard) Clark of Fitchburg, Wis., Martha Hagen of La Crescent, Minn., Robert Vick of Ridgeway, Luann (Lonnie) Soukup of Ridgeway and Roger (Sue) Vick of Byron, Minn.; her grandchildren, Jennifer (Ron) Breese, Erin (Jeff) Baumgartner, Michael Clark, Rachel (Nic) Enerson and Evan Vick; and her two great-grandchildren, Jordan Baumgartner and Joshua Breese, along with a niece, two nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Marlin; her parents; stepmother, Margaret Nelson; sister, Helen Sorensen; son-in-law, Allan Hagen; and stepbrother, Jack Anderson. 

Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is serving the family. Online condolences may be made at www.fjelstul.com.