Barbara Somerset (Purdy) Van Horn, 97, of Marshall, MO, died Thursday, March 10, 2022, at The Living Center in Marshall.
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 19, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall, with Rev. Dr. Dan Festa officiating. Visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Inurnment will be held at a later date at Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church Cemetery in Warren Township, NJ. Memorials are suggested to Saline County Civil Air Patrol Cadet Scholarship Fund or charity of donor’s choice. Friends may sign the online register book at www.campbell-lewis.com
Barbara was born on July 25, 1924, in Barre, VT, the daughter and the only child of the late David Suydam Purdy, Jr. and Helen Louise (Piatt) Purdy, who both died in the early 1930’s. She grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Scotch Plains High School in 1942 and Berkeley Business School in 1944.
On December 2, 1944, at Trinity Dutch Reformed Church in Plainfield, NJ, she married James Roland Van Horn who preceded her in death on July 4, 1988. Together they raised two sons, David Roger Van Horn and wife Marlene of Marshall and Douglas Steven Van Horn of Slatington, PA. Also surviving are five granddaughters, Jennifer, Kristina, Alison, Tosha and Diana along with seven great-grandsons, Rowan, Declan, Greysan, Kyler, Zane, River and Remy. Barbara lived all of her life in New Jersey until 1984 when she and her husband moved to Marshall.
She was employed as a business administrator/board secretary of the Green Brook, NJ Township Board of Education and the Watchung Borough, NJ Board of Education before retiring after 23 years. She also worked for three years with Dun and Bradstreet Credit Rating Business before being required to retire due to her husband’s failing health.
She was a member of Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church, Warren Township, NJ and Circle 5 Women of the First United Methodist Church in Marshall. She has been a member of the Civil Air Patrol (U.S. Air Force Auxiliary) since January of 1990 and obtained the rank of lieutenant colonel and served as the Saline County Composite Squadron finance officer for over 25 years. She was also a member of the Fitzgibbon Hospital Auxiliary and served Meals on Wheels for years after moving to Marshall.