Barron, 'Ed' (Edwin) E.

“Ed” (Edwin) E. Barron passed with his family at his side in Billings, Mont., on Friday, Oct. 4, 2013.

Ed was born at home in Hedrick, Iowa, on Aug. 30, 1941, to Corby and Alice Mae (Thomson) Barron. He was raised in Oskaloosa where his family lived and farmed. He graduated from Oskaloosa High School and played the trombone in the Oskaloosa city band. Edwin and his first wife, Joann (Morgan), married in 1961, and made their home in Cedar Rapids, and to this union were blessed with two children, Rhonda and Lee. Ed worked at Rockwell Goss and began custom farming, until they moved to Millersburg, Iowa, in 1970, to farm the family farm. Ed and Joann later divorced. Ed married Rita Rathjen in 1987 and they made their home in Millersburg, Iowa, and Ed continued farming until 2002, and worked until he retired at Kinze Manufacturing. Ed moved to Billings, Mont. in June 2013 where he lived near his children, Rhonda and Lee, until his death.

Ed enjoyed many pastimes and hobbies throughout his life that included stock car racing in his early years, dancing, restoring antique tractors, toy tractor collecting and he was very active in the Ruritans. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends and one of his greatest joys were going on the great Iowa Tractorcades with his friends.

Ed is survived by his daughter, Rhonda (Joel) Zieger; son, Lee Barron of Billings, Mont.; grandson, Corby of Euless, Texas; three sisters, Evelyn (Richard) Criner of Boone, Faira Louise (Donald) of Eddyville and Carolyn (Gene) Ryken of Shiloh, Ill.; sister-in-law, Linda Barron of Marion; three stepchildren, Steven Rathjen of Williamsburg, Sharon (Bruce) Rowe of Dubuque and Susan (Joe) Brause, of Gilbert; eight stepgrandchildren, Andrew, Amanda, Shannon, Amy, Kimberly, Joshua, Austin and Chelsea; four stepgreat-grandchildren; his many nieces and nephews; and a brother-in-law, Don (Connie) Sheda.

Edwin was preceded in death by his wife, Rita; his brother, Jon Barron; and his parents, Corby and Alice Mae.

Celebration of Life Service will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at the Community Church, rural Deep River, Iowa. The Rev. Edwin Jordan will officiate. Burial will be in the Genoa Bluff Cemetery, rural Ladora. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Powell Funeral Home, Williamsburg.

A general memorial fund had been established.

Messages and tributes may be left at under obituaries.

“The family would like to extend a special thank you to the loving and caring staff at Highgate Senior Living in Billings, Mont., and the 3rd floor nursing staff at the Billings Clinic Hospital for their special care and compassion of dad during his final days, and after a long and courageous fight with Parkinson's.”

Published in The Gazette Oct. 8, 2013.