MARJORIE J. BARNES, 88, of rural Cherokee, Iowa, passed away Friday morning, January 15, 2016 in the Country Side Estates in Cherokee.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, January 19th, at 11 a.m. at the Sutherland Church of Christ in Sutherland, Iowa. Rev. John Erickson will officiate. Following the funeral service there will be a dinner and time of fellowship with the family before going to the Oak Hill Cemetery at Cherokee, Iowa for burial. There will be a family prayer service at 10:45 a.m. at the church on Tuesday. Visitation will be on Monday from 1 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. with the family present from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee. Visitation will continue on Tuesday morning at the Sutherland Church of Christ from 10 a.m. until service time. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Marjorie was born on March 29, 1927 on the family farm north of Cherokee. She attended country school and graduated from Cherokee Wilson High School in 1944. She attended Western Union School in Sioux City, Iowa for four months and then worked for Western Union in Chicago for a short time. She farmed all her life and still owns the 1962 Case #830 tractor she purchased in 1962. Marjorie, Bob, & Kenneth operated Barnes Championship Rodeo that started on the Barnes farm north of Cherokee. She helped set up the arena when it was wood posts and fence. Marjorie was in charge of the young horses on the farm and in charge of loading the chutes and getting the animals back in their pens. Marjorie even competed in events in the early years of the rodeo. In her younger years, she loved traveling with the Rodeo Co. to their many rodeos across the United States. Marjorie and Bob went to Italy to help get the cattle breed of Chiannia to the United States.

She was affiliated with the Methodist Church. She enjoyed writing poetry, listening to opera music, spending time with her border collie dogs, and time spent with her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Kenneth, her brother and sister-in-law Robert and Donita Barnes.

She is survived by one niece and two nephews: Mitzi (Michael) Johnson of Litchfield, Minnesota; Marty (Kendall) Barnes of Peterson, Iowa; John (Cindy) Barnes of Sutherland, Iowa; great nieces and nephews: Megan Berger and her husband Chad and their son Hudson; Westin Barnes and his wife Katelyn and their daughter Elsie; Zac Johnson; Shayla Barnes and her fiancé Cody Huber; Bryce Johnson; Colton Barnes; Chad Johnson; Micah Barnes; Mary Barnes; and Mason Barnes.

The family would like to express appreciation to the staff of The Gardens and Countryside Estates for their loving care in Marj's final months.