"Brian ~ You have our deepest sympathy for the loss of your dear Mother. She was so wonderful to our Sister, Mary and our parents, John and Joan ~ we couldn't help but love her. May it comfort you to know that many others share your sadness for the loss of this great woman. "
In loving memory of
Barbara Helen Puff
December 19, 1929 - November 25, 2013
Funeral Service is 11:00 a.m., Friday, November 29th at the funeral home. Burial is in Evergreen Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home on Friday.
Barbara Helen Puff was born December 19, 1929 in Joliet, IL, the daughter of Ross and Laura (Davis) Talley. She was a graduate of Cadillac High School.
On June 18, 1953, Barb was united in marriage to Willis Puff. The couple lived in Ankeny, IA where they began raising their three children. Barb was very active in the Ankeny Community where she was president of the PTA and Welcome Wagon in Ankeny. She was court watcher for crime alert, Cub Scout leader and Blue Bird leader. She received the Outstanding Citizenship Award from the Ankeny Chamber of Commerce.
In 1978, the family moved to Emmetsburg where Barb was the Executive Director of the Emmetsburg Low Rent Housing Agency. Barb was also active in the Emmetsburg Community. She was a board member for the Four County Council for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Palo Alto County Cancer Board. She was a member of the Red Hat Society and Bethany Lutheran Church.
On Monday, November 25, 2013, Barb passed away at the Cedar Valley Hospice House in Waterloo, IA.
Left to cherish her memory are two sons: Brian of Waverly and Aaron of Omaha; daughter, Cynthia Hoppenworth (Scott) of Waverly; sister, Ella Fuhrman of Elcho, WI; three granddaughters: Nicole and Ashley Miller of Waverly and Alexis Puff of Omaha; three grandsons: Jacob and Joey Puff of Omaha and Willis Puff of Davenport; two step-grandsons: Andrew Hoppenworth (Sasha) of Hobe Sound, FL and Jordan Hoppenworth (Mara Toay) of Muscatine, IA; and many nieces and nephews.
Barb was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Willis; brothers, Howard and Donald Talley; two sisters, Ardith Bradley and June Stiles; grandson, Michael Aaron Puff; daughter-in-law, Joni Puff; and her step-grandson, Dustin Hoppenworth.
Tributes
"All my thoughts and prayers for you and your family. "
"We are very sorry to hear of your family's loss. Please accept our deepest condolences in this sad time. (Isa. 25:8)"
"Brian, Cynthia and Aaron~ I just found your mother's obit on the Emmetsburg web site. I'm so sorry I didn't know this sooner. She and I were close but, the last couple of years she never responded from my cards. I asked her many times to send her cell phone number. I know she was a private person and, maybe that was why. She and dad and Ray and I spent lots of happy and fun times together. She will be missed and I thought of her often. I tried to reach Brian but he no longer had his phone in Emmetsburg. Our prayers and thoughts are in our hearts for the special lady she was."
"We are so sorry to hear of your loss. Barb was always a delight to visit with."
"She has been a steadfast friend for the last ten years. I will dearly miss her."