Obituary of Lenard W. Barenz

Lenard W. Barenz, age 92, passed away August 13, 2017. 

Visitation will be held 4-7 pm, Thursday, August 17th at Gay & Ciha Funeral Service in Iowa City where a service will begin at 7 pm. 

Lenard William Barenz was born September 8, 1924 in Whitetail, Montana, the 9th of eleven children born of William Barenz & Ethel Potter Barenz.  In 1936, he moved to Iowa with his parents, his sister Lillian and his brothers Robert & Ralph. Lenard graduated from McIntire High School in 1942.  On October 30, 1949, Lenard married Bonnie Belle Allen at the Methodist Church in Plymouth, Iowa.  They farmed in north central Iowa until December 1956, when they moved to Iowa City, Iowa.  Together Lenard & Bonnie owned and operated the Oak Grove Motel on Highway 6 in Coralville until 1976.  Lenard then worked at the Mayflower Apartments in Iowa City, and when that property was acquired, became an employee of the University of Iowa Maintenance department working in student residence halls, utilizing his self-taught skills and curiosity to take apart and repair anything mechanical, until his retirement in 1992.

Lenard was proud to be called Dad & Grandpa and enjoyed any topic to do with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  His manner was on the quiet side but his humor was sharp and dry, and his distinctive chuckle when amused by a good joke was infectious. 

Lenard is survived by his sister Lillian McKenna of Osage, IA, sister-in-law Jean Allen of Johnston, IA, sons Richard (Laurie) Barenz of South Amana, IA, and Russell (Karen) Barenz of Swisher, IA; daughter, Rosemary Barenz of Minneapolis, MN; grandchildren: Craig (Lori) Barenz of Marion IA, Troy (Jackie) Barenz, of Austin, TX, Stacy Barenz (Ken Sivertsen) of Clinton, IA, and Ryan Barenz (April Kerr) of Waterloo, IA; great-grandchildren, Morgan Barenz and Dylan Barenz, step-grandchildren, Justin (Lindsey) Knottnerus, Taran (Jason)Wells, and Kristen (Mark) Kelso, and nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Lenard is preceded in death by his beloved wife Bonnie, his parents William & Ethel Barenz, seven brothers, Frederick, Wilbur, Robert, Virgil, Harold, Wilmer, and Ralph, and two sisters, Wilda Barenz, and Aletha Shomber. 

No matter what we may imagine about an afterlife, it is certain that Lenard and Bonnie are together again.