Barbara Inez (DeKay) Eshelman, daughter of Carl and Lois (Mewhirter) DeKay, was born on June 25, 1931, in Griswold, Iowa, and died October 20, 2024, in Grand Rapids, MI.
Barbara graduated from Griswold HS with the class of 1949. On September 18, 1949, Barbara was united in marriage to Curtis (Scoop) Eshelman at the Griswold United Methodist Church. Barbara and Curtis lived in Council Bluffs while raising a family and were members of Epworth United Methodist Church there. Upon retirement, in 1988, they moved to Kearney, Arizona, and in 1995, moved to Mesa, Arizona, where they were members of the Red Mountain United Methodist Church.
Barbara had many fond memories of life on the farm, but she was more than happy to give up truck gardening and canning vegetables when she moved to the city. Barbara enjoyed being a stay-at-home domestic goddess, but she also worked at various jobs such as Goodwill store management and orthodontist assistant. She provided fulltime daycare for other working parents. She and Scoop managed two different rooming houses. She was active in choir, committees and circles at church, and she volunteered for the Lee Martin Therapy Center for disabled children and for Meals on Wheels.
After Curtis’ death in 2013, Barbara remained in Mesa, Arizona until 2021. It was a favorite place for family and friends to visit, especially in the winter! During Covid, however, she became more isolated and needed more help herself, and moved to Grand Rapids, MI, to be closer to family.
Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis, her parents, and several siblings. She is survived by her three daughters: Cheryl (Rick) Tousley, Lewiston, ID; Marilyn (John) Lang, Seattle, WA; and Jodie (Herb) Boelens, Grand Rapids, MI, as well as grandchildren Kristin Schmidt, Rob (Debbie) Schmidt, Jack (Hazel) Tousley, Mike (Allison) Lang, David (Allen) Lang, Jennifer (Josh) Standfest, and Pamela (Justin) Diekevers. She had 11 great-grandchildren: Morgan, Kendall, Tyler, Quinn, Hunter, Andrew, Sawyer, Aaron, Ellie, Zach, and Jamie. Surviving siblings include Ruth Ireland, Mary Neary, David (Shirley) DeKay, Jane (Dennis) Pelzer and in-law siblings Helen DeKay, Roger (Marjorie) Eshelman, Dean Anderson. She is survived by villages-worth of nieces and nephews and their families.
Funeral services will be held on November 9, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at the Griswold United Methodist Church in Griswold, with an open visitation to be held at the Rieken Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold on November 8 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Memorial donations can be made to: Epworth UMC in Council Bluffs, Iowa or Meals on Wheels of Council Bluffs
