Hamilton, Barbara 1920-2013

HAMILTON, MIDDLETON, TUNNICLIFF

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 3/21/2015 at 14:42:58

Barbara Hamilton July 20, 1920-March 8, 2013
Emmetsburg, Iowa

SERVICE 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Hastings Funeral Home
Jefferson, Iowa

WORDS OF COMFORT BY
Chaplain Dori Collogan
Hospice of Central Iowa

CASKET BEARERS

Tom Heater
Leon McDowell Bill Kempf
Chuck Hastings Curt Hastings

INTERMENT
Jefferson Cemetery
Jefferson, Iowa

Barbara Tunnicliff was born July 20, 1920 at the farm home of her parents, Horace Edward and Margaret Lee Middleton Tunnicliff in Emmetsburg, Iowa. She was the oldest of three children with her two brothers, Richard H. and John M. Tunnicliff. She attended school in Emmetsburg, their farmhouse being in the city limits, graduating from Emmetsburg High School in 1938. Following that, she attended Emmetsburg Junior College for two years, transferring from there to Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1942. World War II was in progress in 1942 so Barbara and a college friend went to Chicago to hunt for a job, which ended up in her being hired as a stenographer in the office of Swift & Co. After working there for a year, she returned to Emmetsburg.

There was a need for teachers at that time, so she was able to get a job (with a War Emergency Certificate) teaching typing, shorthand and bookkeeping. Never having studied accounting, she took a correspondence course while teaching it. Her next job in 1944-1946 was as a commercial teacher in the high school in Manly, Iowa. With an undergraduate major in biology and chemistry and no provision for meeting requirements for a teacher's certificate, she spent every summer from 1944-1947 at the University of Iowa taking courses that would enable her to meet those requirements. In the fall of 1946, she officially enrolled as a graduate student and took a full schedule of courses to earn a Master of Arts degree in August 1947 and a teaching certificate. The next job didn't require a teacher's certificate. In the fall of 1947 she moved to Des Moines where she was an Instructor in business education in the College of Commerce at Drake University for the next four years. In 1951, she got the idea for a change of climate. The opportunity came along to apply for a teaching position at Mid-Pacific Institute in Honolulu, Hawaii, so she applied and moved to Honolulu in the fall of 1951. After two years there, it seemed kind of far from family so back to Emmetsburg. In the fall of 1953, there was an ad in the Des Moines Register for Registrar at Simpson College that sounded interesting, so that was the next move. That one only lasted a year; pay for teaching jobs was higher. So again an ad in the Register, this time for commercial teacher in Jefferson High School. She taught there for three years until her wedding in the fall of 1957.

Albert Benjamin Hamilton and Barbara Tunnicliff were married in the home of her parents, Emmetsburg, Iowa, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon on September 8, 1957. After a honeymoon trip to Chicago, they made their home in Jefferson, where they lived in the home at 600 South Chestnut for 28 years. Two children were born, Margaret Ann in 1959 and Alberta Louise (Abby) in 1961. Barbara considered the rearing of children an important job, so she stayed at home to do this. Over the years, in addition to family activities, Barbara kept herself busy with hobbies and club memberships. Sewing, music, travel, photography, tole painting and decoupage were artistic and practical endeavors she enjoyed. And the clubs in which she was particularly active were NCC Music Club, Jefferson Friday Club, PEO Chapters CZ and later MY, and a Neighborhood Club. In 1985 after 28 years in the Chestnut Street home, Barbara and Albert purchased the old brick home, which members of the Henderson family had occupied for over 100 years. For the next year or so Barbara had a wonderful time refurbishing the old house and bringing new glory to it and to her own creative abilities. Albert helped in every way and they both enjoyed living there, until Albert left in August 1999 after several years in poor health. In her final years Barbara was joined by daughter Abby and her dog Lionel and later by daughter Margaret and her two cats. All worked together to keep the house and grounds at East Monroe Street up and running.

Other survivors are sisters-in-law Myram and Jean Tunnicliff, nieces and nephews, and friends. ~ The Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa 12 Mar 2013.