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Dorothy Eyberg, 91, of Arispe, died Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, at Clearview Nursing Home in Mount Ayr. A Celebration of Life Service will be 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 15, at the Arispe United Methodist Church. Pastor Sheila Sutton will officiate. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery. Open visitation will be 2-5 p.m., with family to receive friends 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14, at Powers Funeral Home in Afton. An additional visitation will be held an hour prior to the service Monday at the Arispe Methodist Church.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Iowa 4-H Foundation. Online condolences may be made at www.powersfh.com.
Dorothy Ellen (Bartleson) Eyberg began life Aug. 6, 1932, in Atlantic, the daughter of Ida Amelia (Bluem) and Lee Bartel Bartleson. An older sister welcomed her. Dorothy grew up on Cass County farms, helping with chores such as raising chickens, milking cows and driving horses on the hay fork. She was active in the Benton Sunshine 4-H club and the Benton Future Farmers 4-H.
Dorothy attended Pymosa #6 (Lorah) and Benton #2 country schools. Recognized as valedictorian of 100 rural eighth graders of Cass County in 1946, she was also valedictorian of the Wiota High School class of 1950.
She then worked as Wiota school secretary for a year to earn money for college. She earned a bachelor of science degree in home economics education from Iowa State College (now University) in 1955.
Dorothy retired in 1987 after working 34 years as a home economist for Iowa State University Co-operative Extension Service, first in Crawford County (Denison), then in Union County (Creston) and neighboring counties. She conducted youth and adult education programs, with 4-H being her favorite.
Dorothy was inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame in 2021.
Dorothy and Oliver Eyberg were married Sept. 8, 1973, in Creston. They lived on a farm near Arispe. Oliver retired in the early 1980s. They enjoyed the quiet farm life and exploring Iowa. Oliver died in 2007.
An avid genealogist, Dorothy was a charter member of the Union County Genealogical Society. She led the original effort of the U.C.G.S. to record all tombstones in Union County cemeteries in the 1990s, and to publish the information in several books. She and Oliver also researched family history.
Dorothy was a member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority and a member of several professional organizations including the American Association of University Women and Epsilon Sigma Phi Extension honorary. She served 17 years as treasurer of the Arispe United Methodist Church, and 30 years as an election worker.
Survivors include her stepchildren, Richard (Kate) Eyberg of Portland, Oregon, Dorothy A. Eyberg of Naples, Florida, and Ralph Eyberg of Grinnell; her step-grandchildren and step great-grandchildren: Daniel Eyberg, Matthew Eyberg, James (Ileana) Norton, R.J. Norton and Edward Norton; along with a niece, Anna Buck, of Florence, Texas.
Preceding her in passing were her husband, Oliver; parents, Lee and Ida Bartleson; sisters, Trena (Phil) Chinitz and Mardell, in infancy; stepdaughter, Martha Hodgson; stepson, Roger Eyberg and parents-in-law, Roy and Frances Eyberg.