February 26, 1936 ~ April 23, 2022 Barry Boyd Blaha, a resident of Verndale, died Saturday the 23rd of April at his home in Verndale.
Barry was born to Donald and Lorraine (Bluhm) Blaha on February 26, 1936, in Bertha, MN. Barry graduated from Verndale High School in 1954 and spent a year at the University of Minnesota before settling into farming on the four-generation family farm. He was married to Florence Elizabeth (Liz) Benjamin on June 8th, 1960. Barry worked for the Wadena County Soil Conservation service from the mid-1960s until the mid-1970s, while working the family farm. After that he went on to full time sheep farming until they left the family farm in 1999 when they moved to First Crow Wing Lake near Menahga. Barry left the lake and moved back to Verndale in 2018. He enjoyed many activities throughout his lifetime including wood working, gardening, fishing, working with horses and spending time with his children and grandchildren. Barry attended the Assembly of God church of Menahga and was a man of strong faith.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Liz, who passed in 2012, and is survived by his children Susan Walsvik, Debra (Tom) Hartley, Bill (Sara), James (Jennifer) and Tom; five granddaughters and eleven grandsons; 22 great grandchildren; his sisters Carla Blaha and Jill Scudder; and numerous nieces and nephews.
An Open House Celebration of Life will be held for Barry on Friday, April 29, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Karvonen Funeral Home in Wadena, Minnesota.
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