Date of Death: May 2, 2026
Service Details
The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 8:00 pm on Friday, May 29, 2026, at the Hohner Funeral Home, 1004 Arnold St., Three Rivers, MI. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Michael Lutheran Church, 7211 Oakland Dr., Portage, MI., The Rev. Paul Naumann officiating. The service will be followed by a 3 pm graveside ceremony at Moorepark Cemetery, 16960 Moorepark Rd. Three Rivers, MI.
Obituary Notice
Caroline Louise (Seng) Barkow, age 95, of Three Rivers, Michigan, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Saturday, May 2, 2026, joining her loving husband of 58 years, The Reverend Roland R. Barkow.
Caroline was born in Kendallville, Indiana, on February 2, 1931, the daughter of Homer L. and Mildred J. (Yentes) Seng.
Upon graduating from Concordia College (Fort Wayne, Indiana) Caroline accepted a call teaching kindergarten at a Lutheran school in Jasper, Missouri, near where her college sweetheart/future husband was attending Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. On Nov. 29, 1958, in a small ceremony, their lives became one, bonded in a love of God and love for one another. Together they began their Christ-filled journey in Lutheran ministry starting in Minnesota, then later in Ionia, Michigan, until they found a home at St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Three Rivers, Michigan, where Caroline taught preschool Sunday school for 27 years. She loved sharing Jesus with the little ones and especially enjoyed helping them make religious ornaments for their family Christmas trees. Years and decades later, she would be thrilled when former students, now adults with children of their own, would tell her that they still have the ornament they made in her class and that they hang it on their Christmas tree every year.
Over the years, Caroline had many hobbies: decorating eggshells, writing children stories, making greeting cards (before computers, no less), and orchestrating “dinner parties” and fun activities for her grandchildren. She even took a class on clowning at Glen Oaks Community College. “Carrie the Clown” appeared on stage performing a high-wire act while wearing a clown outfit that she made herself. Why did she do it? To make others laugh and smile.
Caroline was very proud of her three sons, but probably not so much when her boys called the local radio station (WLKM) to include their mom’s birthday on the daily birthday announcement. When asked how old their mother was, the boys, too young to know any better, proudly announced that “Mom’s 40!” And yes, Caroline’s birthday and that she “turns 40 today” was announced to the entire city of Three Rivers.
Even in her final days, Caroline enjoyed helping her granddaughters with crafts (unwinding a ball of yarn while one of them crochets), reading Dr. Seuss books and Christian children’s books from her hospital bed to her sons and daughters-in-law, saying the Lord’s Prayer, and singing “Jesus Loves Me,” knowing that He most certainly does.
And let’s not forget that Caroline taught all 3 of her boys how to make pizza and instilled in them the on-going tradition that pizza is always best served on Friday nights with the family gathered together in front of the TV.
Her memory will be cherished by her three sons: Jonathan Barkow, Joel & Mary Barkow, and Joseph & Kathie Barkow; grandchildren, Talitha, Anastasia, Josiah & Kaitlin, Kelia & Michael, Kiah and Katryel; great-grandsons Henry, Stetson, and Oliver, and a great-granddaughter on the way; sister-in-law Linda Seng; and several nieces and nephews.
Additional Information
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Michael Lutheran Church (Portage, Michigan), Worship Anew (Fort Wayne, Indiana) and Lutheran Hour Ministries (St. Louis, Missouri). Envelopes are available at the Hohner Funeral Home.
Please Leave Your Condolences
When your condolences are submitted they will not display until approved by the Hohner staff for appropriateness out of respect for their memory. They should appear within 24 hours or less. Thank you for your understanding.
To the Barkow Family:
With heartfelt sympathy on the loss of your beautiful mom “Ms. Caroline.” I have so many fond memories of your Mom.She was amazing. Her warmth, humor, kindness and wisdom. She was one of a kind. She touched everyone who knew her. She had a way of making people feel special. Her gift lives on. I know how close all of you were. She was a great Mom and had three great sons, daughter in laws, and grandchildren. Overall, a wonderful family. Please know all of you are in my thoughts and prayers.
My Sincere Condolences,
Valerie Palmer
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
(Quite possibly a Dr. Seuss quote… though this remains gloriously unconfirmed.)
Reading this beautiful tribute, filled with humour, warmth and faith, paints such a vivid picture of a unique and special woman whose love clearly shaped generations around her. It sweetly reminds us that our lives are really made up of the thousands of small moments that quietly become who we are.
From Australia, we send all our love and hugs to Joel, Mary, Anastasia, Talitha and the entire extended Barkow family. Joel – watching from afar, we have been so deeply moved and inspired by the unwavering commitment, tenderness and presence you all have shown your mom and each other over these past years. There never seemed to be any hesitation or sense of burden. Only the simple understanding that this was your mother, your grandmother, your mother-in-law, the woman who had spent a lifetime giving so much of herself to all of you. Of course, you would be there for her now.
So often I would call Los Angeles and hear that Joel’s brothers or their wives were caring for mom, or that Joel had flown into Michigan again and was sleeping on an air mattress at her place – not the spare bedroom, but the living room – so he could be there for her immediately if she needed him in the middle of the night. Or that Mary had spent another night couch surfing at a hospital. Or that Anastasia or Talitha or both had flown over just to sit with her. Be with her.
Not once. Not twice. But again and again and again, all while life back home quietly rearranged itself without a second thought around the needs of someone they adored.
We thank Caroline Barkow for the deep values and traditions she passed on to her family… including Family Pizza Night. Having been lucky enough to join those nights when in town, we can personally confirm that Fridays really do make all the difference.
How proud she would have been of every single one of you. Her spirit, light and love will live inside all of you forever.
Lynda, Steve, Cooper and Spencer xxxxxxxx
I believe the moral character of a man or a woman will be reflected in their children. I have known Joel Barkow for forty-two years to be a man of devout and unabashed faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is a family man who cherishes his wife Mary and his daughters Talitha and Anastasia. I wish all of them, as well as the rest of the Barkow Family, the peace and comfort only the Holy Spirit can provide during this most difficult time. A life well-lived, A good and faithful servant. May the memory of Joel’s mother be eternal.
Gai and I bestow are warmest condolences to The Barkow’s and extended family and friends.
May your sorrow be tempered by the joy of knowing your mom is reunited with your dad in the Lord.
My condolences to Dr Barkow and family. May God’s blessings help you through this difficult time. 🙏
Our sincere condolences. Many great memories of our dear neighbors and their family for some twenty years. Although saddened to hear we take comfort in knowing that she is reunited with Roland at last.
Heaven is even more wonderful. Prayers for all her many friends and family. Pastor and Mrs. Barkow together again, Praise God! God Bless you all! The Barkows taught us everyday what it ment to be a church family. For that we are eternally grateful. Mrs. Barkow was an inspiration as a Sunday School teacher. She loved those little ones so much. Her dedication, I am sure, helped influenced my wife Lou Ann to continue as a Sunday School teacher and later in her career as a Preschool teacher. One thing most people may not have known about Mrs. Barkow is she is a world class doodler. I hope they have a lot of pens and paper in heaven. She was a wonderful Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and friend because she was a Wonderful Person. We will miss her. Rest in the Peace of Our Lord and Savior.
Arlan and I have fond memories of our dear Pastor Barkow and his beloved wife Caroline.
Pastor was a true shepherd of his sheep as he was there for all of us. Caroline was right beside him speaking with love in her actions. We well remember her singing with the little children at Christmas time. Many social events and Bible studies were shared with them. We look forward to seeing both of them again in our forever home that Jesus has prepared.
My sympathies to the family of Caroline and Roland. My joy for them as they have now both arrived at Jesus’ Heavenly throne.
Roland and Caroline will always be remembered by me as a couple, serving their Savior with joy, wisdom of the Lord and as dear examples to my husband and myself, during our years serving Trinity Lutheran Church in Paw Paw. They were inspiration and dear friends.
All Glory goes to God!
My Condolences to the family
Caroline (and Roland) were kind and loving people who welcomed my husband, Matt and I as a fellow clergy and spouse. We shared many dinners out and I cherish those memories. Peace on the path of grief and joy in remembrance and thanksgiving for a lifetime of love as your family celebrates her life.