Barbara A. Aten

Barbara was born to Stanley and Katie Fae Too-good on Sept. 4, 1933, in Big Rapids, Mich. She resided in the Bemus Point area for 64 years.

She graduated from high school in Big Rapids, Mich., and went on to get her business degree at Davenport Institute in Grand Rapids, Mich. This is where she met her husband, Murl. They were married in January of 1953 and lived in Chicago, Ill., where their first child was born. They were transferred to Jamestown, N.Y., with Murl’s company, Blodgett Uncrated Furniture Service, and added two more daughters.

Barbara also worked for Blodgett Uncrated Furniture Service for several years and then took a job at Maple Grove Jr.Sr High School as a librarian assistant. From there she worked for the town of Ellery as town clerk until she retired.

She loved gardening, canning, cooking and enjoying the horses with Murl at horse pulls and parades. She also loved her church. She was very musical and played the accordion, lap steel guitar and piano. She especially loved polka music.

She will be very missed by her family: her daughters: Sherry (Larry) Johnson of Attica, N.Y.., Julie (Scott) Spencer of Dallas, Texas, and Gayle (Mick) Pereira of Knoxville, Tenn.; and foster daughter, Denise (Dennis) Doonan of Bronx, N.Y. She has seven grandchildren: Katie Frantz, Ryan Spencer, Ted Johnson, Alyssa Spencer, James Pereira, Kylie Doonan and Conor Doonan. There are four great-grandchildren: Addison Frantz, Macey Frantz, Tayte Johnson and Grady Johnson.

Barbara requested no funeral or memorial service. There will be a graveside service for the family in the spring. She will be laid to rest next to her husband in the Bemus Point Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to either Smokey Mountain Hospice, 7051 Strawberry Plains Pike, Knoxville, TN 37914 or Sacred Ground Hospice House, 1120 Dry Gap Pike, Knoxville, TN 37918.

We are thankful for all of moms loving and caring friends and neighbors that were such a big part of her life. She taught her daughters strength and independence and the meaning of family values. She is so very missed.