Aretha Marea (Barnett) Stevens, 97, of Mondamin, passed away Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at Maple Heights Nursing Home, Mapleton.
Aretha was born Oct. 5, 1926, in Little Sioux, to Amos and Helen (McAdon) Barnett. She attended Mann Country school first through seventh grade and eighth through twelfth grade at Blencoe, graduating in 1944. Aretha took classes at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, during the summer.
She started teaching in September 1944 at the Jackson Creek School, near preparation park. She taught at school northwest of Pisgah and the Klondike school east of Mondamin. Later she taught at Magnolia, Mondamin, and Little Sioux Schools.
Aretha married Lawrence Stevens on Feb. 8, 1946, at Tekamah, Neb. To this union two children were born, Larry and Kristie. Her husband Lawrence passed away April 28, 1995.
She enjoyed reading, playing cards, shopping, and sewing. Aretha belonged to the Mothers Club of Mondamin for fifty years, several card clubs, and was a part of the Senior Citizens.
Survivors include her son, Larry Stevens of Mondamin; daughter, Kristie (Gene) Gartman of Phoenix, Ariz.; grandchildren, Katie (Rob) Morocćo of Phoenix, Andrew (Jessica) Gartman of Phoenix; and Adam Gartman of Phoenix; two great-grandchildren, Claire and Penny; sisters, Sharon Melby of Mapleton, and Karen Barnett of Onawa; sisters-in-law, Gloria Barnett of Ute, and Linda McDowell of Omaha, Neb.; and several other family members, and friends.
Aretha was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Stevens; parents, Amos and Helen (McAdon) Barnett; brothers, Darrel Barnett, and Kent Barnett; and sisters-in-law, Mary Scarborough, and Zeta Barnett.
A funeral service was Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at the Goslar Funeral Home Chapel, Onawa, with Pastor Wayne Bahr, officiating. A live stream of the service was posted on the Goslar Funeral Home website with Aretha’s obituary. Burial was followed in the Noyes Cemetery in Rural Mondamin. A visitation was, Monday, April 29, 2024, at the chapel. Arrangements were under the direction of Goslar Funeral Home and Monuments, Onawa.
Memorials in Aretha’s memory may be directed to Mann Country School and mailed to P.O. Box 124, Mondamin, Iowa, 51557.
Condolences may be left online for the family at www.goslarfuneralhome.com
