Iona M. Barber

Iona Mae Barber (Holman), age 86 of Clifton Park, NY, died peacefully on November 16, 2018 at the Troy Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing.

Iona was born on June 7, 1932 in the town of Dresden, NY in Washington County and grew up in Whitehall, NY. She married the late Chester H. Barber, a veteran Master Sergeant in the United States Army, on May 15, 1952. They resided in Troy, Hudson Falls, Voorheesville, and spent their retirement years together in Malta. Iona later moved to Clifton Park. Iona spent many of her years as a homemaker, but she worked for General Electric in Glens Falls, for a time, and she enjoyed her employment with New York State where she worked for the Department of Agriculture and Markets and the Department of Labor.

Growing up, Iona was a member of the First Baptist Church of Whitehall. When she and her family moved to Voorheesville, she attended Saint Matthew’s Roman Catholic Church. Iona loved cats and enjoyed caring for her cats in her home over the years. She enjoyed completing crossword puzzles and word searches. She was skilled at sewing and enjoyed making gifts and clothes. She also enjoyed following the local horse races and attended races at the Saratoga Race Course during the summer months.

Iona is survived by her daughter, Susan A. Barber, her three grandchildren; Jamie L. DiGaudio, Nathan W. (Addie) Putnam, and Matthew C. Putnam; her sister Connie Valastro; her sisters-in-law Marie Rock and Lorraine Elliot; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Chester H. Barber, her brothers Robert Holman, Willard Holman Jr., and William Holman, and her brothers-in-law Albert Barber and Leo Barber.

A private service will be held at the Wynantskill Funeral Home on Monday November 19, 2018 and a private burial at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery will follow. If so desired, donations may be made to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

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