The son of Frank and Anna Prosser Bahrenfuse, Barney was born June 8, 1921, in Poweshiek County, Iowa. He was raised in Poweshiek and Jasper Counties and received his education in country schools near his home. As a young man he was employed as a farmhand and also delivered groceries to people's homes by motorcycle w/sidecar. He was a veteran of the United States Army during World War II serving with the 81st Wildcat Division as a mechanic in the South Pacific. Upon discharge he attended Cal-Aero Technical School in California where he studied radial-engine mechanics and returned to Iowa following his education. On November 9, 1946, he was married to Doris Tough at the Pleasant View Church in rural Jasper County, a union of nearly 58 years. The couple farmed in Jasper County and for a short time he was employed at Maytag. They moved to their current farm near Kellogg in the mid-1950's and the couple enjoyed wintering in Florida since 1979. He was a member of the Pleasant View Church. Barney held a passion for tractors and enjoyed working on older models, especially Case tractors. He enjoyed attending auctions, farm sales, and antique tractor shows. He had traveled throughout the continental United States and enjoyed meeting with his army buddies at reunions. He looked forward everyday to socializing with family and friends over a cup of coffee. Survivors include his wife, Doris; two children, Carol Ohm and her husband, Orville of Alden, Minnesota and Robert "Barney" Bahrenfuse of Grinnell; one sister, Edith Lee of Riverton, Wyoming; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Barney died September 8, 2004, at Grinnell Regional Medical Center, at the age of 83. He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Raymond, Ralph and Harold.


Some records show that he was born with the first name of "Clarence" but went by "Clair" and the nickname of "Barney."