Alvin Barten

Alvin “Al” Barten, 85, of Marshalltown, Iowa passed away on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 peacefully at home at Glenwood Place. A funeral mass will be held on Monday, August 27, 2018 at 11:00AM at Saint Henry’s Catholic Church in Marshalltown, Iowa. Family will be available at 10:00AM to greet visitors prior to the Mass at 11:00.  Al will be laid to rest in Greenwald, Minnesota.  For condolences please visit www.Mitchellfh.com or call (641)-844-1234. Al was born in Greenwald, Minnesota on December 27, 1932, the son of Bernard and Barbara (Uphus) Barten.  Al was united in marriage to the love of his life Jeanette Schwieters on June 2, 1954, at St. Andrews Catholic Church in Greenwald, Minnesota.  Al was an Army veteran and served as a Sergeant during the Korean War, he was stationed in San Francisco and had many stories of his time spent there conducting training on radar installations and guarding weapons depots on the base.  He attended the University of Minnesota and earned an Associate’s Degree and worked as an engineer/manager for Healy Ruff until 1974 when he moved his family (11 children at that time) to Marshalltown, Iowa to open a Plywood Minnesota franchise.  The Times Republican wrote an article about the family moving from Minnesota to Iowa. Later in his career he would serve as a Financial Advisor for Prudential. His faith and love of family will be his legacy.  He devoted his life to serving God, family and friends, and was a member of Saint Henry’s Catholic Church for over 40 years and served as a Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus. Summers were spent fishing and camping with his family and friends. He loved to fish the Minnesota lakes, although not to fond of catching Perch when trying to land Northern Pike.  He cherished all things Minnesota and was a Vikings, Twins and Gophers fan who often talked about those frigid Vikings games at Metropolitan Stadium.  Jean and Al would cheer for them any chance that they had.  After retirement they spent many summer afternoons selling bread, cookies, coffee cakes, and sweet breads. Dad always said, “I make all the cookies”.  Jeans Bread’s as it was called kept them happily busy until they moved to Glenwood Place to spend the rest of their years looking out over the beautiful Glenwood Lake. Left to cherish his memory are his 11 surviving children, Pamela (John) Wells, Doug Barten, Mary (Dennis) Stalzer, Kathy (Bernie) Struzyk, Bonnie (Jim) Condon, Thomas (Kathy) Barten, Paula (Mike) Schwartz, Patrick (Sarah) Barten, John (Sara) Barten, Maria (Chris) Hansen and David (Kristina) Barten; 42 grandchildren; 23 great grandchildren; Sister Barb (Dave) Jennissen, Sister-in-law Charlene (Jack) Ohman and Joan (Jerry) Ehresmann and many nieces and nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife Jean, daughter Debra (Scott) Nalvanko, grandsons Samuel Struzyk and Leo Barten, brother Lee Barten, and parents Bernard and Barbara Barten.