Liesman, Barbara

Barbara Liesman, 96, of Cedar Rapids, died Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, in Northbrook Manor Care Center. Her body was donated to the University of Iowa Anatomy and Cell Biology Department according to her wishes. Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Survivors include her daughters, Gay Holstine and husband Wayne of Cedar Rapids and Julia Robinson of Waterloo; her granddaughter, Audrey Robinson of Waterloo; and a niece, Anita Parsons of Montrose, Colo.

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Max Hugh Liesman.

Barbara was born June 26, 1917, in Des Moines, Iowa, the daughter of Thomas and Ethel Conklin Horton. She married Max Hugh Liesman on Aug. 16, 1953, in Des Moines.

Barbara and Max were members of Highland Park Christian Church for many years and cherished the friendships of the Pilots Class and the Friday night card players. She was a member of the Des Moines Pioneer Club, Polk County Historical Society, Argonne American Legion Auxiliary #60 (50+ years), Willson Alexander Scott Questers Chapter #141, Mr. & Mrs. Club (50+ years), the North High School Alumni Association and the First Presbyterian Church in Waterloo. She was a charter member of the Antique Doorknob Collectors of America and a member of the Iowa Society for the Preservation of Historic Landmarks. She and Max traveled regularly to doorknob conventions and with the Landmarkers in the Midwest and other parts of the country.

She graduated from North High School in 1935. She began working for Younkers and was the manager of the record department when she left in 1953, after her marriage. Over the years she worked for the Des Moines Schools as a school secretary, as a Kelly Girl for numerous companies, sold real estate, went back to Younkers and finally retired from Drake University. She was engaged in her community and made and maintained many friendships over the years from the activities in which she was involved. She loved her house at 4004 and was proud to be the fourth generation of her family to call Des Moines home.

She was an excellent seamstress and made most of her own clothes and also made some quilts. She sewed for her daughters and handed down the knowledge. She made bread for her family and to give away. She loved to bake her painted cookies for Christmas and other events.

She moved to Waterloo in 1999 to be near her daughter, Julia and granddaughter Audrey. She continued to bake bread and paint cookies. In 2006, she moved to Evergreen Estates I in Cedar Rapids.

She was a wonderful mother and is dearly loved and will be greatly missed.

Special thanks to the wonderful, caring staff at Evergreen where she frequently utilized the suggestion box for the last seven and a half years. Thanks also to the St. Luke's Unity Point Hospice professionals and the caring folks at Northbrook Manor who helped us through the last week.

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Published in The Gazette Oct. 22, 2013.