BARTON, Emma (Louise)

Idaho Statesman (Boise, Idaho) Saturday, September 26, 2015 Emma "Louise" Barton, 94 years old, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at her home in Cambridge, Idaho. Louise was born October 25, 1920 to Adolf and Elise Grossen, immigrants from Switzerland. She was born at the family homestead in Grossen Canyon just North of Council, ID. She was the youngest of five children with her older sister Effie serving as midwife. At the young age of four, the home and out buildings burned forcing a move to Indian Valley, ID. Louise always told of saving her dolls and their buggy from the fire and they are still treasures in her home today. Louise attended grade school in a one room schoolhouse in Alpine and later attended Cambridge High School and graduated in 1939. There were no school buses, so she rented a room in town during the week and only went home to Alpine on the weekends by catching a ride with the mail truck. She always had lots of friends and enjoyed socializing at school, which made for lots of homework. Louise met her future husband Fred (Junior) Barton in 1938 attending a dance at the Cove Country Club. She was in no hurry to get married so they dated for 3 years, finally getting married on November 10, 1941 in Council with their mothers as their witnesses. Fred was a skilled farmer in the Cambridge area, Louise was always right beside him helping to raise sheep, cattle, chickens and dairy cows. In 1943, they had their first son, Russell. While Louise was pregnant, they did not have a car, so she rode her bicycle to town to see the doctor. The doctor told her she could ride anything to see him, except a bucking horse! In October 1949, their second son Dale was born. It was hard to keep him warm that winter, so Louise kept him on the dining room table away from the cold floor. Six years later a third son, Phillip was born. It was summer and Louise had lots of gardening and canning that could not wait, so she hurried and finished her batch of canning and mopped the floor before Fred drove her to the hospital in Weiser. In 1957, Brenda, their only daughter, was born. They were so happy to finally have a girl that when the doctor told her it was a girl Louise exclaimed, "Oh, you are fooling me!" Anyone who knew Louise knew that her four kids were her pride and joy. She always protected them and loved telling everyone about them. In 1961, Fred and Louise moved their family to the Barton Ranch that had belonged to Fred's parents. Louise was so happy to get her first indoor bathroom with lots of running hot and cold water. While Fred farmed, Louise contributed by raising as many as 300 chickens each year delivering eggs to her many valued customers. She always grew a large garden with enough to feed the family and share with friends and neighbors. She loved to sit down to a meal that had all been grown on the ranch. Louise was never idle, always busy with sewing, quilting, crocheting, pine needle basket making, embroidery and many other craft that she had learned from others. The thing she enjoyed most was going to the mountains for camping, fishing and picking huckleberries. Louise spent her retirement years with Fred, traveling to 27 different states including Alaska, as well as Canada and Mexico always traveling by automobile. Last year, at age 94, Louise took her first and only airplane ride to Arizona for a winter retreat. Flying was something she said she would never do and she was a little nervous to go, when she made it back home she was already making plans to fly again next winter. Fred and Louise were married for 66 years and spent many winters traveling to California in their R.V. where they met lots of friends and enjoyed hiking, and exploring in the desert. Louise was a passionate fisherman often catching as many or more than Fred. Louise had six grandchildren and she was just as proud of them as she was of her four children. Her happiest days were the ones she spent with them. She loved cooking for them and teaching them to enjoy all of her favorite things. She taught her grandsons all of her secrets to successful fishing and introduced her granddaughters to sewing, crafting and huckleberry picking. Louise was a loving wife always by Fred's side during work or play. Louise spent her life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. She was humble, caring, and giving to all of her family, friends and strangers. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Adolf and Elise Grossen; four siblings; her husband, Fred Barton; and grandson, Aaron Barton. She is survived by sons, Russell (Kathy) Barton and Phillip (Eugenia) Barton both of Lewiston, Dale (Sandi) Barton of Cambridge, and daughter, Brenda (Bill) Williams of Wickenburg, AZ and five grandchildren, Julie (Ken) Jenkins, Mindi (Levi) Thomas, Nick (Katie) Ritter, Cassandra (Derrick) Tenney, and Diego Valverde. She is also survived by seven great-grandchildren, Taylor, Zack, Emma and Addi Barton, Stella and Lydia Jenkins, Gunnar Thomas and numerous nieces and nephews. Graveside service will be held Monday, September 28, 2015, 11:00am at the Cambridge Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Thomason Funeral Home.