Iona was born May 1, 1936 in Wray, Colorado. The second child of Otto C Lueking and Lorene HS (Welp) Lueking, She joined her older sister Norma (Lueking) Sauers and four years later her brother Otto E (Jr) was born.
Iona spent her childhood on the farm, first in Idalia and in 1944 the family moved to a farm in Yuma County. She attended Haxtun High School. After high school, she had a few jobs in the Haxtun area. In August 1955 she and Norma moved to Denver. Iona went to work at Dunn and Bradstreet, where she met the love of her life Sherrill (Gene) Bartlett. Iona went to work at Gates Rubber Company in their Credit Union and worked there until the birth of their first child.
Iona and Gene were married May 19,1957 in the Lutheran Church in Yuma, Colorado. Their first home was in Denver and in 1959 they moved to Wheat Ridge to the home where Iona lived until her death.
Their union was blessed with three children; Kimberle Sue, Jeffrey Scott and Melissa Noel.
Iona was a homemaker while the children were growing up and later worked with Gene in their business until they retired in 2000.
Iona is preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister and brother. She is survived by her son Jeffrey, daughters, Kimberle (David) Sledd and Melissa (Robbie) Hunter, seven grandchildren, ten great grandchildren and numerous cousins.
A visitation for Iona will be held Friday, February 2, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, 7777 West 29th Ave, followed by a funeral service at 1:00 and burial at 2:00.
