Nancy Barth

MONONA / MONROE - Nancy Jean Barth, age 91, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Born on Sept. 20, 1931, to Helen (Wartenweiler) and Oscar Moldenhauer, Nancy grew up in Monroe, Wis. After graduating as valedictorian from Monroe High School (Go Cheesemakers!), she earned a degree in Science Education and a minor in Music from the Whitewater Teachers College. While at Whitewater, she was president of Pi Lambda Theta, the National Honor Organization for women in education. 

Nancy taught science and music at Delevan High School, before heading back to school herself. After receiving her minor in Library Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder, she served as a librarian for the Waupun school system. Nancy completed her master’s degree in Elementary Education at UW-Madison in 1970 and taught briefly in the Madison school system.

Nancy married her high school sweetheart, Leo R. Hilfiker, of Monroe. Leo heard there was a girl named Nancy who was interested in him, but he asked the wrong Nancy to dance. His original crush never stood a chance. Nancy Jean could flirt with a stick, and in 1954 they tied the knot. Together they were blessed with three children, Elisabeth Ann “Lisa” (1957), Laura Lee (1961) and Heidi Joanne (1970). Tragically, their middle daughter, Laura Lee, died of leukemia at age 6 and Leo was killed in a car accident just months before Heidi’s birth.

After these heartbreaks, Nancy found her second great love, and on May 27, 1972, she married Robert E. Barth. Nancy was Bob’s “Rosebud,” and they enjoyed over 50 years together. They combined their brood of five, Christi, Steve, Lisa, Maryellen and Heidi, and moved into a home on beautiful Lake Monona. It was here that Nancy shared her love of a good time with family and friends. She and Bob hosted lavish parties, most often with their treasured Gourmet Club and Bridge Club friends. Nancy also learned to golf and played often with the ladies at the Maple Bluff Country Club.

Nancy was a longtime member, choir participant and Certified Lay Speaker of First United Methodist Church. She often preached for the pastors while they were on vacation. She was recognized for her involvement with the Youth program at the church. She was a coordinator of the New Adult Study Group “Search for the Inner Self” and also of the Prayer Team. She and Bob organized and led twelve mission trips for Volunteers in Mission of the UMC. These trips and their recreational trips took them to over 38 countries around the world.

Her spiritual life was also formed by the Edgar Cayce readings and the Association for Research and Enlightenment. Nancy taught classes and gave talks in Bible study, dream Interpretation and other topics at Adventures in Living and Learning (a program of Lakeside Congregational Church) and at other venues for many years.

Nancy served on the Monona-Mendota Lake Property Owner’s Association. She was also a member of Citizens Advisory Board of Dane County Regional Planning Commission as a citizen advisor.  

Nancy enjoyed creating and sharing beautiful things, most notably her oil paintings and spectacular garden. Her beautiful paintings grace the walls of friends and family and are a treasured memory of her life. She participated in many workshops with professional artists at the Art League of Bonita Springs in Florida, Scottsdale Artist School in Scottsdale, Ariz., and in northern Wisconsin. Nancy loved flowers and gardening. She had a large organic vegetable garden in the country for many years until organic produce became available in stores. Then she turned to planting flowers and her flower garden grew larger and larger every year. She was honored to be on both the Olbrich Garden and Attic Angels tours.

Nancy was fiercely intelligent, and rarely met an obstacle she couldn’t overcome. If there was something she wanted she worked out how to achieve it. She loved Publix orange sherbet with chocolate sauce, played the piano, fought with Bob for the day’s crossword and felt strongly about thank you notes. She loved parties and hamming it up. She was charitable with her time, resources and talents, but wanted things the way she wanted them.

Above all, Nancy loved all her children and grandchildren and the time spent with them. Nancy is survived by three daughters, Christi Barth, Lisa Mensink (Mike Klinzing) and Heidi (Darren) Engbring; 12 grandchildren, Cori Steinnagel, Katie (Chris) Stutz, Emily (Dan) Barmantje, Laurel (Kevin) Strauss,  Aaron Barth, Hannah (Brian) Harrigan, Emma Hoffman, Laura Mensink, Leo Mensink, Nora Engbring and Elliott Engbring ; 10 great-grandchildren, Natalie Strauss, Luke Strauss, Anneliese Barth, Kingsley Barth, Owen Barmantje, Carter Barmantje, Ayla Stutz, Cole Stutz, Ariyanna Barth and Olive Rose Harrigan; She was preceded in death by her first husband, Leo Hilfiker; son, Steve Barth; daughters, Laura Lee Hilfiker and Maryellen Barth; brother, Jim Moldenhauer; and sister, Joanne Graham.

A heartfelt thank you to Nancy’s teams at Bristol Hospice and Talamore Senior Living. Your compassion and care helped make a challenging time a little easier.

Nancy never let her children leave the house without warning them to, “Look out for farmers coming out of side roads.” We know that she’s somewhere out there, keeping us safe from those pesky farmers.

A memorial service will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a charity dear to Nancy’s heart, ChildFund. Nancy sponsored numerous children through this program and loved to correspond with them. Visit www.childfund.org for more information.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420