‘Do you remember Barb Scafferi?’
Late T-R columnist, who had national following, profiled at ‘History on Second Tuesday’ event
Pam (née Scafferi) Ferriss of Marshalltown is shown making remarks at the Marshalltown Public Library Tuesday evening. It was part of "The LIfe and Times of Times-Republican Columnist Barb Scafferi" program sponsored by the Historical Society of Marshall County. Ferriss is the daughter of the late Times-Republican columnist Scafferi.
Former Times-Republican publisher Mike Schlesinger of Marshalltown is shown making remarks to attendees Tuesday night at the Marshalltown Public Library. It was part of "The LIfe and Times of T-R Columnist Barb Scaffei event sponsored by the HIstorical Society of Marshall County. Schlesnger, now retired, was the publisher from 1985-2018.
T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Deb (nee Scafferi) Rohne of Northwood is shown Tuesday evening at the Marshalltown Public Library during her presentation on "The LIfe and Times of T-R Columnist Barb Scafferi" program. It was sponsored by the Historical Society of Marshall County.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO In this undated photo, the late and former Times-Republican columnist Barb Scafferi is shown in a pose in front of the former Orpheum movie theater on East Main Street in Marshalltown. Before she retired in 2014, Scafferi wrote more than 200 columns for the once-monthly T-R Sunday insert "Past Times."
Pam (née Scafferi) Ferriss of Marshalltown is shown making remarks at the Marshalltown Public Library Tuesday evening. It was part of "The LIfe and Times of Times-Republican Columnist Barb Scafferi" program sponsored by the Historical Society of Marshall County. Ferriss is the daughter of the late Times-Republican columnist Scafferi.
Former Times-Republican publisher Mike Schlesinger of Marshalltown is shown making remarks to attendees Tuesday night at the Marshalltown Public Library. It was part of "The LIfe and Times of T-R Columnist Barb Scaffei event sponsored by the HIstorical Society of Marshall County. Schlesnger, now retired, was the publisher from 1985-2018.
T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Deb (nee Scafferi) Rohne of Northwood is shown Tuesday evening at the Marshalltown Public Library during her presentation on "The LIfe and Times of T-R Columnist Barb Scafferi" program. It was sponsored by the Historical Society of Marshall County.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO In this undated photo, the late and former Times-Republican columnist Barb Scafferi is shown in a pose in front of the former Orpheum movie theater on East Main Street in Marshalltown. Before she retired in 2014, Scafferi wrote more than 200 columns for the once-monthly T-R Sunday insert "Past Times."
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Barb Scafferi of Marshalltown intended to write for one year only a monthly column "Do You Remember ... for "Past Times" – then a monthly Times-Republican insert devoted to central Iowa history.
However, one became 17.
She wrote more than 200 columns containing hundreds of thousands of words which made her one of the most popular columnists ever in the 170-year history of the Times-Republican, said former T-R publisher Mike Schlesinger of Marshalltown.
Sadly, Scafferi, 78, died on Nov. 2, 2014. Her final column came out that morning. She had previously notified T-R management and readers the column would be her last as she wanted to retire.
Family, friends and readers of Scafferi's turned out Tuesday night at the Marshalltown Public Library Tuesday evening to hear Scafferi's oldest daughter Deb (nee Scafferi) Rohne of Northwood discuss her mother's life and many contributions in a compelling presentation.
It was a celebration of Scafferi's life as an author and columnist. Also explored were highlights of her careers ranging from mother to student to employment with the former Fisher Controls (now Emerson Process Management) and Marshalltown Community School District.
"Mom loved her family," said Rohne. "And her columns consisted of treasured memories from growing up on a farm in La Moille to living in Marshalltown. They included reader responses and contributed photos. I was so grateful I was able to type and edit the columns for the last 10-years mom wrote. Prior to those 10 years, mom's friend Kathy Winters and mom's sister Beverly did typing and proofreading and submission to the T-R."
Rohne said she transcribed many of her mother's columns since her mother wrote in longhand. Ironically, Scafferi began her T-R career writing using an IBM Selectric typewriter.
Rohne read from her mother's autobiography the following, " ... the real story is I was intently curious about life and people and happenings ... I was always listening to the older folks as they told stories, or talked about their neighbors, the community or the world, it was better than television. From third grade on, I wanted to be a writer, an entertainer, a newspaper person. For Christmas that year I received a little printing press where I published my first newspaper."
Later, Scafferi wrote for the high school newspaper in Lamoille, the student newspaper at Marshalltown Community College and for Grit, a national publication, among others.
She also was involved with and did public relations for the Daughters of the American Revolution, Friendship Force for Sister Cities, Iowa Valley Bicycle Club, Glick School (closed and demolished) and Anson Elementary School.
When not writing or working, Scafferi was secretary and board member for the Marshalltown Community Theater (MCT).
She joined Marshalltown benefactor Martha-Ellen (nee Fisher) Tye as a member of the production staff for MCT's "The Pleasure of His Company," in 1962. But Scafferi's primary impact would be on "Do You Remember ..." readers.
She did "Do You Remember ..." type programs for church groups, service clubs, nursing homes and elsewhere. Her T-R column grew increasingly popular, and she was receiving correspondence from readers throughout the United States.
Topics in her columns ranged from memories of 4-H competitions to cheerleading for Lamoille High to state flags and birds.
"After one of Barb's columns had been printed, the T-R mailbox would be filled with letters to her," said Schlesinger.
"Barb was extremely successful writing in the 'conversational' style," said Michelle Roseburrough of Marshalltown. Roseburrough attended Tuesday's program. She is president of the Historical Society of Marshall County which sponsored Rohne's presentation.
"The column was so much more than mom recalling her memories," said Rohne. "Her columns inspired readers throughout the United States to write letters, make telephone calls or personal visits to emails to Facebook messages with their own stories and pictures."
The late Jay Carollo of Marshalltown – a renowned local historian and researcher – took over Scafferi's duties in Past Times and continued writing monthly columns on local and area history until health issues forced him to discontinue.
Past Times is no longer an insert but was re-formatted several years ago as a separate page in the T-R's Saturday-Sunday editions. It remains devoted to central Iowa history. It is authored by HSMC board members and staff.
Scafferi's columns may be obtained on Digital eBooks. One can purchase and download the digital versions directly through the Amazon Kindle Store. "Do You Remember Barbara" : An Anthology Vol. 2 (2006-2014) is available as a Kindle eBook.
The HSMC museum/library at 503 W. Main St. in Marshalltown has hard copies of Past Times for viewing. The Marshalltown Public Library at 105 W. Boone St. has Past Times on microfilm.
For more information contact Rohne at digitalpizza@gmail.com.