Barbara Jean Barkley

Barbara “Barb” Jean Barkley, 81, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away on Friday, January 2, 2026, at Cottage Grove Place in Cedar Rapids. Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Marion is assisting the family with cremation.

Barb was born on July 16, 1944, in Cherokee, Iowa, the daughter of Orville and Inez (Fredenburg) Barkley. She was proud to be part of the first graduating class of Linn-Mar High School in Cedar Rapids, where she began laying the foundation for a life devoted to kindness and philanthropy. Barb was an animal lover, with a particular fondness for cats. Friends and family will fondly remember her nurturing spirit and the warmth she brought to their lives.

Barb is survived by her two brothers, Russell (Vicki) Royce and Rich Royce; cousin, Jolene Geer; and special friend, Ginger Burns.

She was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Judy Barkley.