Barbara Jean Dahlin

Barbara Jean (Lykken) Dahlin, 79, of Hawarden, Iowa, passed to her everlasting home on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at Hillcrest Health Care Services with her daughter, husband, and siblings at her bedside.

A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, August 30 at 11:00 am at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Ireton with Pastor Michael Boothby officiating. Burial will take place, following lunch, at the Grace Hill Cemetery in Hawarden. Visitation with the family present will be Thursday, August 29 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm, followed by a brief prayer service at Porter Funeral Home in Hawarden. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Porter Funeral Home of Hawarden, IA. Condolences may be sent to www.porterfuneralhomes.com. The Funeral Service will be recorded and available on the church website at www.stpaulsireton.weebly.com. or on the church Facebook or YouTube pages. 

Barbara Jean was born January 20, 1945, in Beresford, SD, the daughter of Isaac and Esther Lykken. She graduated from Alcester High School in 1963.

She was united in marriage to the love of her life, Dennis Dahlin, on April 30, 1965. Dennis and Barb made their home in Hawarden for the past 59 years of their married life. In recent months, Barb had a temporary stop at Hillcrest Health Care Services in Hawarden, due to her 5-year battle with dementia. Although the past few years challenged her to remember the days, Barb was blessed with a lifetime of remarkable moments that we cherish. 

Dennis and Barb were blessed with their daughter, Denise, in October of 1965. Years later, Dennis and Barb opened their hearts and home to other’s children by way of hosting foreign exchange students. Barb worked close to home and for many years at Otis Radio, followed by serving in a supervisory role with K-Products. The definition of multi-tasker comes to mind, as Barb was also an Independent Mary Kay Consultant for over 30 years and managed to be a whiz with numbers, managing her own bookkeeping services. 

Barb found tranquility in growing stunning flower gardens and keeping a beautiful, well-manicured yard. Her kitchen was a warm and welcoming paradise of her love for cooking and baking, and her home could have easily passed the white-glove test, as she was a meticulous housekeeper. In any conversation about her family or grandkids, it was easy to see that Barb’s expression was captivatingly proud.

Those left to smile when thinking of Barb are her husband of 59 years, Dennis Dahlin; daughter, Denise (Tom) Salker of Ireton, IA; grandchildren, Samantha, Seth, Shauna; sisters, Karen Kratochvil of Sioux Falls, SD, Diane (Bill) Bruns of Madison, SD, Nancy (Steve) Bell of Vermillion, SD; brothers, Kerwyn Lykken of Alcester, SD, David Lykken of Sioux Falls, SD; and sister-in-law, Marie Lykken of Alcester, SD.

She was proceeded in death by her parents, Isaac and Esther Lykken; brother, Merle Lykken; brother-in-law, Gary Kratochvil; and nieces, Tami Mielke, Corrie Lykken, and Johanna Lykken.