Barbara Ann Kurimski, age 89, of Lovilia, Iowa passed away on January 10, 2025 at Crystal Heights Care Center in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Barbara was born to Robert “Chub” and Helen (Brugos, Popson) Crall in a farmhouse south of Weller, in Monroe County on September 26, 1935. She was the fourth of twelve children. Barb went to school in a one room schoolhouse, Falvey School House until 8th grade where she then transferred and graduated from Melrose High School, class of 1953. After graduation Barb moved to Des Moines and worked for the Bell Telephone Company prior to getting married. On April 16, 1955, Barb was united in marriage to Steven Joseph Kurimski at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Weller, Iowa. In this union of marriage, Steve and Barb had four children, Mark, Rita, Bernard and Marla. Barb and Steve shared 51 years of marriage until Steve passed away on December 23, 2006. After raising her children, Barb began working full time at the Albia HyVee in the deli department and enjoyed serving the customers and hearing all the local news for twenty years. During her retirement (for nine months) Barb spent her time chauffeuring her grandkids to their many events, until HyVee called her back to work part-time. For the next eight years Barb continued to welcome customers into the store with a smile from the deli department until she retired, again, in 2007. Barb lived west of Lovilia on the family farm for 67 years. She enjoyed her big strawberry patch along with her vegetable and flower gardens. Barb always had a homemade baked treat waiting for her kids when they got off the bus, a tradition which continued when her grandkids would get off the bus at her house. The food always seemed to taste better coming out of her kitchen, and Barb’s kids and grandkids will forever cherish her strawberry jam, homemade pickles, oatmeal cookies, and though simple, her buttered toast and red jello with bananas. Barb’s true joy in her life was her family. She was her grandkids’ biggest cheerleader at baseball games, attending band concerts, and always supported them within their 4-H activities and never missed a livestock show or auction. Barb also enjoyed being a grandma chauffeur, bringing her grandchildren to countless ballgames, preschool and drivers ed classes. Barb also enjoyed some friendly competition with the family as she loved playing Yahtzee, which was played countless times at her kitchen table with the rules always changing depending on how the dice landed and bingo at Christmas. Wheel of Fortune was Barb’s favorite show and the family knew to not call between 6:30-7:00 as the phone conversation would be limited. While Barb spent much of her time on the farm, she did enjoy traveling, especially the mystery trips that were organized by her sister in law, Kathleen Crall. For six years Barb, her sisters, and sister in laws traveled throughout Iowa, knowing only where their next stop would be based on the clues given to them by Kathleen. These were treasured memories that Barb would talk about for years to come. Barb’s Catholic faith was very important to her and through her life she was a member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Weller, and later at St. Peter’s Church in Lovilia. Barb is survived by three of her four children, Mark (Pam) Kurimski of Lovilia, Bern (Helen) Kurimski of Lovilia, Marla (Bill) Balzer of Runnells; grandchildren, Emily (Sean) Dickinson, Andrew (Emily) Kurimski, Heather (Sean) Balzer, Ryan (Kylee) Kurimski, Aaron Kurimski, Dane Balzer, and Hailey Balzer; great-grand children, Andy and Cassidy Dickinson, June, Leo and Miles Kurimski, Clara Balzer, Wylee, Levi, Waylon, Brock, Clint and Catherine Kurimski. Barb is also survived by her siblings, Mary Jo (Lowell) Beary of Kansas City, Bernard (Marian) Crall of Urbandale, James Ed (Sally) Crall of Lovilia, Greg Crall of Ankeny, Steve (Jeanie) Crall of Melrose, sisters-in-law, Kathleen Crall of Urbandale, Cheryl Crall of Winterset, Julie Williams, Ann Scholar, and Carleen Kurimski all of Burlington and brother-in-law, Pete Heles of Texas. Barb is preceded in her death by her parents, Robert “Chub” and Helen Crall; husband Steve Kurimski; daughter Rita Kurimski; siblings Martha Flattery, Phyllis Doran, Bob Crall, Tom Crall, Denny Crall, Lorraine (Raine) Heles, along with sister and brother in laws Louie Flattery, Hal Doran, Margaret and Steve Massick, Dick Williams, Jim Scholer and Johnny Kurimski. Barb is also preceded in death by her nephew Dave Flattery and niece Teresa Doran. Visitation will be Saturday, January 18, 2025 from 9:30-11:00am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Albia with a Mass of Christian Burial following at 11:00am with Father Issac Essel officiating. A luncheon will be served. Inurnment will follow in St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery in Lovilia.
Memorials may be directed to St. Mary’s Weller Cemetery and St. Peter’s Lovilia Cemetery. Sinnott Funeral Home of Ottumwa
