OSKALOOSA — JoAnn Dolores Duben Snowbarger, 81, of Oskaloosa, died peacefully following her long battle with Alzheimer’s on Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, at the Northern Mahaska Nursing and Rehab Center in Oskaloosa. 

Visitation with the family Memorial service will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Central United Methodist Church in Oskaloosa. Her Memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Tom Boomershine officiating. Burial of the cremated remains will be in the Forest Cemetery in Oskaloosa. Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to the Central United Methodist Church. Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

JoAnn Dolores Duben Snowbarger was born on May 18, 1930, in Nevinville. She was the daughter of Arthur Joseph and Ruth Frances Rice Duben., was born on May 18, 1930, in Nevinville. She attended Nevinville Consolidated Schools through graduated from the 8th grade and then graduated from Creston High School in 1948. She loved growing up in “Nevin” - especially playing basketball at school, coasting adventures with her brother Bernard, and watching the men work together to bring in the harvest in the Fall. JoAnn then graduated from GradwohlLab Technician School of Laboratory Technique in St. Louis, Mo., in 1950, beginning her career as a Medical Technologist. She was married to Jackson Foster on Nov. 12, 1950. She and Jack lived in Louisiana, Mo., and Shenandoah, where they had two sons, Steve and Mike Foster. The family moved to Oskaloosa in 1961. They were later divorced in 1979. On Feb. 22, 1980, she was married to Lester Snowbarger in the Kent Chapel of Central United Methodist Church in Oskaloosa. Lester owned and operated Oskaloosa Engineering and Mfg. JoAnn  worked as a Lab Technologist at Mercy Clinic and Mahaska County Hospital for many years before retiring in the early 1980’s. She was a member of P.E.O. Chapter X, Central United Methodist Church, and the American Medical Technologists. She did volunteer work for the Hospital and Hospice Auxiliary, enjoyed needlework, playing bridge, Swedish weaving, and gardening her flowers. Following Lester’s retirement, the Snowbargers spent many wonderful years, traveling, playing golf, and wintering in Mesa, Arizona. They cherished their many friends both in Oskaloosa and in Mesa. They moved to Maple Ridge Assisted Living in 2008. JoAnn was an excellent Mother and cook, but her true joys were being a mother, homemaker, and particularly loved helping to care for and spoiling her grandchildren and cooking big meals for family Holiday gatherings..

She is survived by her husband Lester Snowbarger, of Oskaloosa, son, Stephen and Rosanne Foster, of Traer, and Rome Italy, their children Luke and Sarah Foster, daughters Mary Rose and, Clara of New Richmond, Wisc., Jill and Matt Oliver, daughter Madden of Milo, and Mark and Sara Foster of Boise, ID; son Michael and Ginny Foster, of Oskaloosa, their children Rebecca and Jay Bock, son Ezra of Winterset, Kristen and Chris Fink, of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Michelle and Nathan Lahner, son Jackson, of Ankeny, Daniel and Amanda Foster, of Memphis, Tenn., Timothy Foster, of Omaha, Neb.; stepdaughter Joyce and Lee Wymore, of Oskaloosa, their children Meghan and Jonathan Brand, of Ames, Mathew Wymore, of Madison, Wisc., stepson Ron and Carol Snowbarger, of Oskaloosa, their children Jennifer and Mike Comfort, of Oskaloosa, Elizabeth and Cory McBurney , daughter Kate of Cedar, and Jessica and Brandon Graham, of Oskaloosa.

Besides her parents she was preceded in death by a brother Bernard Duben and his wife Rojean.