News : Mother of the Year: Barb Wittmer

Barb Wittmer: Named Iowa Mother of the Year by American Mothers

An area woman has been recognized as the Iowa Woman of the Year by the American Mothers, the organization that Eleanor Roosevelt and Mamie Eisenhower began to promote mother day and improve the lives of mothers and children throughout the world.

Barbara was born in Wheeling West Virginia on January 27th 1937. Her father was a salesman so the family moved a lot. Before getting married and moving to Iowa on Jan 1st 1957, she was a city girl and lived in Bluefield, West Virginia, Dayton, Ohio, Marion, Ohio, Chicago, Illinois , and Hammond, Indiana. Barbara had 5 children from 1957 to 1967. In 1973 the family moved to the farm where she still lives. In 1980 her youngest son Ed was killed in a farm accident and this lead to taking in their 1st foster child. Barbara was diagnosis with breast cancer in 1987 and after 52 weeks of chemotherapy, she is 29 year survivor. Barbara is proud to have been chosen an Iowa Master Farm Homemaker in 1990. Warren passed away of a heart attack in 1995. With her Son, Bob , Barbara continued Dairy farming till a Grandson took over in 2007. Today that same grandson is farming the family farm -.She is proud of her 4 surviving children, 4 grandsons and her growing great grandchildren. Today many of her foster children still call on her for advice and check in with her as they raise their own children and go out into the world.