Coleen M. Barngrover

Coleen Mae Barngrover was born August 25, 1957, in Denison, Iowa, the daughter of Carroll and Rena Skarin. She passed away Sunday, April 5, 2020, at her home in Dow City, Iowa at the age of 62.
Coleen grew up in Kiron, Iowa and received her education in the Denison Community Schools, graduating in 1975. After the birth of her three children, she began her career as a legal secretary in March 1982, for the law firm of Frank, Mundt, Nepper and Frank. When the law firm split in 1989, she chose to continue as Allen Nepper’s secretary. On July 30, 1991 she was married to Glen Barngrover.
Coleen left her employment with Allen Nepper in 1998 to open a Christian bookstore, Faith Works. She later worked for approximately one year at Walmart and for Crawford County in the Auto Department.In 2002, she returned to her employment at the Nepper Law Firm where she remained employed until the time of her death.
Coleen was a woman of many talents. She was a creative writer and artist as well as an avid researcher and historian. She researched the history of Kiron and self-published a Kiron history book for its Centennial. She fell in love with the city of Dow City and the Dow House She compiled a daily blog of Dow City, researched the history, and wrote a play about the Dow family entitled “Unuttered”. This play was presented on December 8 and 9, 2018.
Coleen enjoyed making craft items with her husband, Glen, and selling them at Mamie and Ethel’s craft store in Dow City. She loved to work at the Dow House helping to beautify and restore the building. She held several offices on the Dow House board and was President of the Board when she passed.
Coleen loved to plan and put on family celebrations. She hosted many family graduations, reunions, and birthday parties on her “funny farm”. She loved to socialize and laugh with her friends and family, oftentimes putting their needs ahead of hers. She especially loved to have her grandchildren spend weekends on the farm where they played games and crafted.
Coleen was preceded in death by her father, Carroll; father-in-law, Ronald and her grandparents. Those left to cherish her memory include: her husband, Glen; her daughter, Mardi (Kenny), Mardi’s sons Caine and Cole; and two sons, Nathan (Sarah) and their children Nolan, Marlee and Mia; and Andrew and his children Ethan, Chandler, and Macy; her mother, Rena; two sisters, Cindy (Jim) and Rhonda (Larry); mother-in-law, Sharon; sisters-in laws, Coleen, Jennifer (Larry), Emily (Brad); brothers-in-law, Dean (Susan) and Scott (Jennifer); step-grandmother, JoAnne, nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.