Elizabeth Michels Barnes Higgins (1903-2002)

MICHELS, BARNES, HIGGINS, OTTEN, ACHENBACH, BEHRENS

Posted By: Randy Achenbach (email)
Date: 5/4/2026 at 08:56:30

The Anamosa Journal-Eureka – Thurs., Feb. 7, 2002

Funeral services for Elizabeth Michels Barnes Higgins were 2:00 Friday afternoon, February 1, 2002 at Goettsch Funeral Home, Anamosa. The Rev. Carl Manternach officiated at the service. Interment was at Riverside Cemetery, Anamosa.

Elizabeth Michels Barnes Higgins, 98, a resident of the Mechanicsville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center since December 4, 1995, died Monday, January 28 following complications from a stroke.

Elizabeth was born on June 30, 1903 in Amber, the daughter of William and Anna Otten Michels. She was a graduate of Anamosa High School in 1921 and taught country school for two years before marriage to Carl E. Barnes on September 19, 1923. They lived in Anamosa where Carl was a rural mail carrier for many years. Carl died July of 1945. After his death she moved to Oelwein where she married Bernard M. Higgins in June 1947. They then moved to Mason City where Bernard was a federal meat inspector at the Decker Meat Packing Plant. He passed away in December 1989. She moved back to Anamosa in September 1990 to the senior housing complex. In Mason City she belonged to the Navy Mothers, American Legion Auxiliary, Women’s Relief Corps and the Catholic Daughters of America.

Survivors include two daughters Carlyn Barnes (Arden) Achenbach of Anamosa, Mildred Barnes Behrens of Mount Vernon; one daughter-in-law Theona Barnes Barkley of Sierra Vista, AZ; nine grandchildren, Gary (Jean) Achenbach of Boone and their children, Brent, Sara, and Brian; Carl (Mary) Achenbach of Anamosa and their children, Christi and Daniel; Randy (Rhonda) Achenbach of Garner and their children, Rochelle and Reed; Larry (Candy) Barnes of Waterloo and their children, Steven and Jason; Fred Barnes of Aurora, CO; David Barnes of Davenport and his son Thomas; Beth (Richard) Smith of Lisbon and their children, Ricky, David and Laurie; Ron (Linda) Behrens of Fort Collins, CO; Mark (Vanessa) Behrens of Lisbon and their children Camden, Blake, and Marissa and seven great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands’ Carl E. Barnes and Bernard M. Higgins; one son, Merlin E. Barnes in June 1986; one son-in-law, Delmar L. Behrens in July 1978; one grandson, Steven L. Behrens in January 1996; four sisters, Catherine Meade, Berniece Drumbarger, Ruth Osterkamp and Dorothy Tuel and five brothers, Henry Michels, Carl Michels, Paul Michels, Julius Michels and Harry Michels in infancy.

The Goettsch Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.