Barbara DeLay Obituary

Barbara Jean Ellerman DeLay, daughter of Dave F. Ellerman and Hilda W. Kohls Ellerman was born November 6, 1932, at home in rural Dallas Center, Iowa and died June 1, 2024, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa at the age of 91.

As a young girl, Barbara attended Grant School #4, a one room schoolhouse a mile from her home. She graduated from Dallas Center High School in 1950. After graduation, she lived at Esther Hall in Des Moines and worked at Northwestern Bell Telephone. Later, she returned to Dallas Center and worked at Brenton Bank.

On June 3, 1953, she was united in marriage to Jack E. DeLay. The young couple moved to Ft. Sill in Oklahoma while Jack completed his army service. They returned to Iowa in 1954 to farm near Dallas Center, and then near Minburn in1958. They were the parents of two children, Ron and Becky. Barbara was active as a farm wife, a home room mother, a Sunday School teacher and superintendent, and a 4-H leader. Later, Barbara worked in Perry at Virginia’s and Fashions on Second. After Jack’s death in 2006, Barbara moved first to Perry and later to Fishers, Indiana to be close to her children. Everywhere she lived, she formed strong bonds and friendships. Barb enjoyed dancing, traveling, watching hockey and college basketball, neighborhood gatherings and weekly ladies' lunches. Shortly before her death, she and her daughter Becky moved back to Iowa. She was delighted to be back and living only nine miles from where she was born and raised.

Survivors include her son Ron and his wife Jane of Bella Vista, Arkansas, her daughter Becky of Waukee, Iowa; grandsons Josh and his wife Jessica of Bentonville, Arkansas, Ben and his wife Jenn of Cave Creek, Arizona and great grandsons Brad and Sam DeLay of Cave Creek, Arizona, Jack, Nolan and Winston DeLay of Bentonville, Arkansas; sisters in law Doris Ellerman of Dallas Center, Iowa, Janice Spellman of Granger, Iowa, Nancy DeLay of Indianola, Iowa, Sue DeLay of Davidson, South Carolina; brother in law Roger DeLay and his wife Karen of Burns, Tennessee and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and a host of friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jack, her brother Dick Ellerman, in laws Barbara and Leland McCormick, Shirley Baird, Bob DeLay, Jerry Spellman and Jerry DeLay.

Memorials will be designated to the Spring Valley campus of the Perry Lutheran Home.

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