Barbara J. Furnish

MASON CITY: Barbara J. Furnish, 76, of Mason City, died Friday, September 18, 2015 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Funeral services will be held 1:30 PM Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue with Pastor Janet Dorenkamp, Chaplain , Hospice of North Iowa officiating. Interment will be in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home. Memorials may be given to the Barbara J. Furnish Memorial Fund or Hospice of North Iowa.

Barb was born February 10, 1939 in Mason City the daughter of James D. and Virginia I. (Deach) Estle. She graduated from Mason City High School in 1958. Barb married Robert M. Furnish March 3, 1964 in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Barb waitressed in Mason City for a short time but would later stay home to raise their daughter, Sandy. She was a lifetime member of the VFW Auxiliary and in recent years, enjoyed traveling with her significant other, Virgil Orman.

Barb is survived by her significant other, Virgil L. Orman of Mason City; 2 grandchildren, Courtney (Keith) Hamill of League City, Texas and Ed Miles Sparks of Houston, Texas; siblings, Ginger Jacobson of Gilbert, Iowa, Sue Pierce of Mason City, Jim (Terry) Estle of Atlanta, Georgia and Kathy Estle of Austin, Texas; sister-in-law, Lori Estle and significant other, Jay Hain of Mason City; many nieces and nephews.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents, James and Virginia Estle; husband, Robert in 1993; daughter, Sandra Sparks in 2013; 2 brothers, John “Jack Estle and Robert “Butch” Estle; a sister in infancy.