Barbara Buffum

Barbara June Buffum was born January 28, 1927, the daughter of Ben & Emma Koontz Witt. She died Sunday, December 27, 2009, at the Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison, Iowa, at the age of eighty-two.
Barbara was born in Denison, Iowa. She was baptized in Christ on March 27, 1931, at Friedens Evangelical and Reformed Church in Schleswig, Iowa, by Rev. Kurt Kielhorn and was confirmed there on Palm Sunday, April 6, 1941, by Rev. A.F. Rinne. She received her education in the Schleswig Community School and graduated with the class of 1945. While in high school she played the trombone in the Award-Winning Schleswig High School Band under the direction of Mabel Fritz. Following graduation she attended teachers training and taught school for a short time at Morgan #7. She met Harlan Buffum when she was working for DeVall Construction that was paving Highway 59 through Schleswig.
On April 12, 1947, Barbara was united in marriage to Harlan at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. The couple was blessed with two daughters, Pam and Janet.
Being very musical, Barbara sang for numerous weddings and funerals and in later years sang with Pam and Janet as "The Buffum Trio." She bowled on mixed league and ladies league for many years and was a very faithful member of Schleswig VFW Auxiliary where she held several offices. Barb played in the Schleswig German Band, serving as ambassador for the town of Schleswig, for over 50 years. She was a lifelong member of Schleswig United Church of Christ where she was a past member of the Junior Guild, Bell Choir and member of the church choir for more than 60 years. She was extremely proud of working as secretary to seven superintendents of the Schleswig Community School from 1961 - 1991 and known as the "lunch ticket" lady to many, many students. After taking a sewing class at the school, she spent most nights knitting, crocheting or quilting into the wee hours of the morning. Her daughters and grandchildren are proud owners of many pieces of her handiwork. She belonged to a quilting group and loved playing cards at the Club House on Tuesday nights. On Fridays you could find her going from one bank to the other for the "Friday snacks" and visiting with the bank ladies. You wouldnt find Barb watching Soap Operas on TV, as most days and nights she would be following the Cubs, Twins, Vikings, Bulls, Cyclones and Hawkeyes. She was a strong supporter of the Schleswig Hawks and later the Denison Monarchs where she cheered on her grandkids and even great-grandkids. Barb and Buff looked forward to attending Buffum Reunions every August on trips that took them to many states and especially enjoyed taking the grandkids in later years. She was the "go to lady" for anyone who needed an old news article, old pictures, obituaries, etc., always clipping articles for someone who just might want an extra copy. Easter time would find her making Cream Puff baskets to deliver to her friends and neighbors. She was a special lady always thinking of everyone else before herself. She found enjoyment in going on many bank trips, feeding her squirrels and birds, and was fortunate to celebrate with two very special parties - their 50th wedding anniversary April 12, 1997, and her 80th birthday, January 28, 2007.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Harlan; two brothers, John and Ben Witt; son-in-law, Kevin Lafrentz; nine brothers-in-law and four sisters-in-law. Survivors include two daughters, Pam Gronau and her husband, LaWayne of rural Ida Grove and Janet Lafrentz of Schleswig; four grandchildren: Shari Thies of Schleswig; Layne Gronau and his wife, Cindy of Clive; Amy Paulsen and her husband, Jeremy of Schleswig; and Brooke Lambert and her husband, Derek of Harlan, and ten great-grandchildren: Brittani Briggle, Brady and Brinkley Thies; Olivia and Sam Novak; Connor, Jaxon, Jett and Cale Paulsen; and Lauren Lambert; many, many other relatives and friends.