Barbara J. Yount

Barbara J. Yount, 91, of Mason City, died Friday, December 29, 2023, at the Good Shepherd Health Center.

Funeral services will be held at 11 AM Monday, January 8, 2024 at the Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 North Pennsylvania
Ave, Mason City, with the Rev. Burton Everist officiating.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time on Monday.  Interment will be held on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 in the Union Cemetery, Newton, IA.  

Barbara Jean Yount was born May 2, 1932, to James Gifford and Dorothy Katherine Yount in Newton, Iowa. When she was four years old, the family moved to New Providence, Iowa. She was active in 4-H and other school activities. She graduated in 1950 and continued her education at Central College in Pella, Iowa, graduating in 1954. She taught Home Economics in Deep River, Iowa and Dysart, Iowa. During two summers, she worked at Winona Lake Bills Conference Grounds, where Helen Sunday frequently attended. Her husband was an acclaimed evangelist, Billy Sunday.

Deciding teaching was not for her, she came to Mason City in midst of a March snowstorm in 1959. Fortunately, the Credit Bureau had an opening where she worked for 30 years. She then worked for the Department of Human Services for three years. For over 20 years, she raised a garden and canned the produce, when she had her own home a cat or two lived there. Although she never rode in RAGBRAI, she and a friend went numerous times to meet the riders. From her childhood, she was fascinated by trains, at the drop of a hat she was ready to go on a picnic and she never turned down a dish of ice cream.

Survivors include cousins and many friends.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, and a sister, Frances Olson.