Donita LaVae Barnes, 76, of Peterson, Iowa passed away Thursday evening, August 18, 2011 at Cherokee Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held Monday, August 22, 2011 at 11 a.m. at the Sutherland Church of Christ. Pastor John Erickson & Mike Cooper will officiate. There will be a family prayer service at 10:45 a.m. at the church Monday morning. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery, Cherokee, Iowa. Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 21 at Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee starting at 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. with the family present from 6-8 p.m. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com. The family requests memorials be made to the Sutherland Church of Christ or Cherokee Hospice.

Donita was born on July 8, 1935 at Cherokee, Iowa to Delmar & Daisy (Deibner) Ducommun. She graduated from Larrabee High School in 1953 and then attended Business College in Sioux City for a year. She was united in marriage to Bob Barnes on February 2, 1958 at Sutherland, Iowa. Her home was on the family farm which was located in Spring Township and had been a resident of Cherokee County all of her life. She worked for the family rodeo & farm operation and the Cherokee County Extension Office for a number of years. She was a member of the Sutherland Church of Christ. Donita was an honorary member of HANDS and a lifetime member of the PRCA. In 2010, she received the Tad Lucas Memorial award, presented to women exhibiting spirit, courage and compassion while upholding rodeo's great western heritage. She was actively involved in every aspect of the rodeo, farm and family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, infant sister Darlene and brother in law Kenneth Barnes.

Donita is survived by her loving husband Bob Barnes of Peterson, Iowa; three children: Mitzi Johnson and her husband Michael of Litchfield, Minnesota; Marty Barnes and his wife Kendall of Peterson, Iowa; John Barnes and his wife Cindy of Sutherland, Iowa; 10 grandchildren: Zac, Bryce & Chad Johnson; Westin Barnes and his fiancé Katelyn Martin, Shayla, Micah, Mary & Mason Barnes; Megan (Chad) Berger, & Colton Barnes; one brother: Dennis Ducommun and his wife Bonnie of Cherokee, Iowa; sister in law Marjorie Barnes of Cherokee, Iowa; two nieces & one nephew.