Mary F. Barnhart

Mary F. Barnhart was born on Sunday, July 3, 1927, in Batesville, Arkansas, the daughter of Dale and Laura (Zook) Goforth. At the age of three, Mary moved with her family from Batesville to Ottawa, in Franklin County, Kansas, where she made her home until her death on Saturday, April 14, 2012, at the age of eighty-four years. While attending Ottawa High School, Mary worked at H. D. Lee during World War II, making backpacks for the Army and, later, jean jackets. She graduated with the class of 1945. On Sunday, October 28, 1945, Mary was united in marriage with Albert H. Barnhart in Ottawa. Along with Albert, she operated a Grade A dairy fifty-one years until 1996 and worked thirty years at the Franklin County Sale Barn on Saturdays and horse sale nights. Mary also worked at every election for twenty-eight years on the Ottawa Township Election Board. Mary enjoyed all her homemaking skills, caring for her family, sewing, knitting, and baking. She was well known for her delicious pies and baked many for the sale barn over the years. She loved to crochet and made numerous afghans for weddings, baby showers, birthdays, and holidays. She enjoyed watching her grandson’s ballgames, being outside, tending her cattle, feeding the baby calves, and milking every day. Mary had a strong work ethic and was the rock of the family farm. She is preceded in death by her husband, Albert, on February 4, 2004; her parents; sister, Doris Swank; two brothers-in-law, George Swank, Louis Dale; sister-in-law, Lynette Dale; and nephew, Dale Swank. She is survived by her son, James Leland “Barney” Barnhart of Ottawa, Kansas; three grandsons, Scott James Barnhart of Ottawa, Kansas, Ryan Patrick Barnhart and his wife, Mary Kay, of Savannah, Texas, Andrew Steven Barnhart and his wife, Emily Kate, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado; and two great-granddaughters, Emery Elizabeth Barnhart and Kate Elizabeth Barnhart. SERVICES: Funeral Services will be held at Dengel & Son Mortuary in Ottawa at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 20, 2012. IN STATE: Mrs. Barnhart will lie in state at the Dengel & Son Mortuary after 9:00 a.m. Thursday to the service hour, where family will meet with friends from 6:00 to 8:00 Thursday evening. CEMETERY: Evergreen Mound Cemetery in Franklin County, Kansas. MEMORIALS: The family suggests memorial contributions to Vitas Hospice, c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067. An online Guest Book is available at www.dengelmortuary.com.