Barbara Axtell, 97, of Iowa Falls, Iowa, passed away Sunday, May 19, 2013, at Scenic Manor, Iowa Falls. Funeral services for Barbara Axtell will be 11:00 am Saturday, May 25, 2013, at the Linn's funeral Home, 1521 Washington Avenue, Iowa Falls, Iowa. A time of visitation will be from 10:00 am until service time also Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be at the Cottage Cemetery, rural Iowa Falls, followed by refreshments at the Cottage Church. The Linn's Funeral Homes Iowa Falls Chapel is handling the arrangements.

Deola Barbara Dunker was born December 25, 1915, on a farm near Elroy, Ohio, in Darke County, the second of five children born to Joseph Benjamin and Uhlma Echo [Fry] Dunker. About 10 years later, the family moved to Miamisburg, Ohio, where Barbara graduated from high School.

Although she grew up in a Christian home, it was not until 1934 at a Christian Camp that Barbara accepted Christ as her Savior and gave herself to Christian service. Soon afterwards, the Lord led her into nursing. In 1937, she graduated from nurse's training school at The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio. Later, for a semester, she attended Wheaton College in Illinois. A good friend Mary Alice Hunting attended there, as well. Mary later became the first Mrs. Harry Axtell. In December, 1940, Barbara was led by the Lord to accept a call to the Navajo Methodist Mission School in Farmington, New Mexico. She served there for 24 years as the sole nurse in charge of the boarding school infirmary. Those were interesting and memorable years for Barbara. In the following years, she continued to keep in touch with many of her Navajo friends, students and staff of the Navajo land School.
Barbara worked as a nurse 8 years in the OB department of a hospital in Denver, Colorado. In 1972, she felt the Lord leading to move to her hometown area. She became the cancer and ostomy clinician nurse at Kettering Medical Center, Kettering, Ohio. Barbara had a rewarding ministry helping cancer patients and families, leading some to the Lord, supporting and encouraging others.

On January 19, 1980, she was united in marriage to Harry E. Axtell in Dayton, Ohio, and enjoyed being an Iowa farm wife, a step-mother of five, grandmother of 13, and great grandmother of 14.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents: Ben and Uhlma Dunker; her husband: Harry Axtell; brothers: Allan, Bob, Roland, and Keith. Those who cherish her memory are step-children: Dwight and Joan Axtell of Ankeny, Iowa, and their children: Chris and Courtney; Arthur and Marilyn Axtell of Royal Palm Beach, Florida and sons Mark, Tim, and Dan; James and Shirley Axtell of Iowa Falls, Iowa and daughters Myndi and Kami; Gary and Gina Axtell McWilliams of Rochester, Minnesota and children Shannon, Jason, and Nathan; Sister–in-law Mable Lee, brother Keith Dunker of The Villages, Florida, several nieces, Nephews, and many other relatives and friends.