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Barbara Ann Biensen

July 22, 1919 - March 3, 2015

Barbara Ann Biensen, 95, much loved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother died Tuesday March 3, 2015 of natural causes in State Center, Iowa.

Funeral Services will be held 10:30a.m., March 10, 2015 at The First Presbyterian Church in State Center, Iowa.
A visitation will be held 5 – 7:00 p.m., Monday March 9th, at Bacon Funeral Home in Nevada.

She was born in Ames, Iowa July 22, 1919 to Orie and Carrie (Ballard) Ryan. Barbaraattended Shipley schools, later graduating from Omaha Tech in Omaha NE.

While working at the Iowa State University Library she met the love of her life GeorgeBiensen at a dance in the Memorial Union. They were married Aug. 10, 1941 in State Center, Iowa and settled on the family farm in rural State Center. Barbara and George were married 69 years and had four children: Mike (Elma) Grand Prairie TX; BarbaraJo Rothfuss (David) Columbia SC; Rodney (Tricia) Nevada IA; and Kelly (Nina) State Center IA. The children were the light of Barbara’s life.

Barbara loved living in the country in the farm house. She was a dedicated gardener, growing flowers wherever she lived. Barbara was musically inclined and passed her love of music down to her children. She was a 50-year member of Eastern Star and achieved local Worthy Matron status. Barbara, known for hosting elegant meetings, was also a charter member of LBOE (Little Bit of Everything) and the Margaret Stoddard Study Club. She was a 75-year member of First Presbyterian Church of State Center and a member the Presbyteers, a married couples group within the church. Barbara was well known for her brownies and at times sold quite successfully at fundraisers. She also served to visiting children gingerbread cookies every Halloween.

Barbara is survived by her four children and their spouses; grandchildren Alison (Ted) Klein Columbia SC; Paige (Dan) Bryars Marietta GA; Candace (Sean) Wagner Hollywood FL: Meredith (Brian) Bilbro Columbia SC; Ryan Biensen Marshalltown IA; Brandon Biensen Rhodes IA; Leah, Caleb and Luke Biensen Nevada IA; Juan Gomez, Rene Gomez, Val (Maria) Flores and numerous great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister (Orley), her brother (Les), her husband George and her best friend Betty Dobbin.