Wayne Barta

A celebration of life for Wayne E. Barta, 87, of Washington, formerly of Wayland, will be held Wednesday, December 26, 2018 at 11:00 AM at the Fern Cliff Evangelical Free Church in rural Wayland. Burial will follow at the Fern Cliff Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 10 – 11AM Wednesday at the church. A memorial fund has been established for Fern Cliff Church and Mercy Hospice Care Unit. Wayne Barta passed away Friday, December 21, 2018 at Mercy Hospice in Iowa City. The Beatty Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Wayne Eugene Barta was born May 27, 1931 in Hastings, NE, the son of Stanley and Mary (Soucek) Barta. He graduated from Hastings High School and attended Hastings College and the University of Iowa. In 1951 he joined the United States Navy and served his country until 1956 where he was stationed on Midway Island and in San Diego as an air traffic controlman. On January 15, 1956 he was united in marriage to Mathena Nebel at the Fern Cliff Church. Wayne was self employed as an auto mechanic and retired from McCleery Cummings Co. He was a member of the Fern Cliff Church and enjoyed building model aircraft, golfing and researching geneology.

Survivors include his wife Mathena of Washington, four children: Timothy (Julia) Barta of Hiawatha, Cheryl (Dewane) Starr of Cedar Rapids, Russell (Amy) Barta of Marion, Marcia (Carl) Barnhart of Mt. Vernon, 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one brother John (Donna) Barta of Hastings, NE.

Preceding Wayne in death were his parents, a sister Ellen Kottwitz and a brother Stanley Barta, Jr.