Evelyn Barnes

BURLEY – Evelyn Althea Wrigley Barnes, an 87-year-old resident of the View and Malta area, slipped peacefully into the arms of her loved ones from metastatic melanoma, on Monday, April 26, 2021, at the home of her daughter, Ronda, in Quartzsite, Arizona. She was a wonderful person who affected everyone she came in contact with and was loved by all who knew her.

She was born to Herman Frank and Truth Gladys Kossman Wrigley, on August 29, 1933, in Malta, Idaho, at her grandparents’ home, Fred and Anna Kossman. She married the love of her life, Paul Dean Barnes, in View, Idaho. Together they raised four children, Ronda, DelRay, Paul, and Trina.

Evelyn was a strong advocate for children and spent many years flying back to Washington D.C. with her good friend, June Larson, to lobby for our children’s future. While there she was invited to the White House for lunch and to homes of several prominent friends and lawmakers for dinner. She was awarded the Freedom Medal of Honor for her work during that time. She went on to get her bachelor’s degree in education and taught for many years in Malta, Idaho. She touched many lives throughout her time as a teacher.

Evelyn loved to travel with her sister, Linda Durfee. They went everywhere together from family gatherings to camping trips; they were also world travelers, going to fun and exciting places. Together they visited Japan and they also backpacked around Europe when Evelyn was in her 70s. She especially loved going to Clear Creek, camping and picnicking, and enjoying all her family– related or not.

After she retired from teaching, she loved to go to Quartzsite, Arizona, and became a yearly snowbird where she met and married a wonderful companion, Dan Kosmas. She always had so much fun in the sun and warm weather with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Evelyn is survived by her two daughters, Ronda (Robert) Perkins, and Trina (Robert) Wilson; two daughters-in-law, Debra Barnes, and Micheal Barnes; her sister, Linda Durfee; her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Paul Dean Barnes, and Dan Kosmas; her two sons, DelRay (Debra), and Paul (Micheal) Barnes; grandson, Jared Barnes; and great-granddaughter, Dakota Twiss.

Friends may call from 5 until 7 p.m. Friday, May 7, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 8, at Standrod Cemetery, in Standrod, Idaho.