The funeral service for Barbara “Barb” Fodness, 81, of Minneota, will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 10, 2021, at Hope Lutheran Church in Minneota.  A walk through visitation will be Friday, April 9, from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. all at Hope Lutheran Church.  Interment will follow the service at Hope Lutheran Cemetery.  Masks are required at all indoor events and social distancing guidelines will be followed.

Barbara Louise (Lawson) Fodness was born on March 28, 1940, in Baring, Missouri. Her parents were Harold and Dorothy (Slocum) Lawson. She attended all twelve years of school at the Baring Public School and graduated in 1958. She attended Kirksville University for a year and then married Joseph McManus. He was a member of the U.S. Navy, and they lived in San Diego, CA, for a few years. When his enlistment was up, they moved to Chicago, IL, where he was employed. They had three children, Joseph M. McManus, Sandra (Dan) Struif and John (Christine) McManus. Barbara worked at the Lombard Public Library and then went to work at Chicago Bridge and Iron Company.  In 1995, she married Eugene C. Fodness, and in 1998 they both retired and moved to Minneota, MN. Barbara and Gene enjoyed many trips together, like Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean cruises, as well as car and bus trips throughout the United States with friends.  Barbara had seven grandchildren: Ashley and Kylie McManus, Dan and Christopher Struif, Rebecca, John, and Tom McManus; and one great-grandchild, Nolan Herrigan. She also had two step-daughters, Kelly (Gerard) Watras and Jean (Walter) Siewierski, and four step-grandchildren: Emma, Ayanna, Zak, and Eli Siewierski.  She was active in church, singing in the choir and serving as secretary for the Hope Lutheran Church Women and for the Altar Guild. Barbara also wrote stories printed in the Minneota Mascot for several years and had various other hobbies.

Barbara died on Sunday, April 4, 2021, at the Avera Marshall Regional Hospital.

She is survived by her husband, children, grandchildren, sister Marilyn (Kenneth) Goodwin, and brother Tom (Karen) Lawson, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, sisters Linda Hirner and Suzanne Small, and brother Robert Lawson.