Frances "Fran" Marlene (Setzer) Barnhill

Frances “Fran” Marlene Barnhill, nee Setzer, of Steelville, Missouri passed away Saturday, March 1, 2025 at Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan at the age of 88 years, 7 months and 1 day. She was born July 31, 1936 in St. Louis to Floyd Hubert Setzer and Ovie Mae McDermont Setzer.

Fran or “Biddy” as her family called her, grew up in Cherryville and later moved to St. Louis with her parents. In 1953 she was united in marriage to the late George Ziebol for 29 years and to this union four daughters were born. 

Fran was employed at McDonald Douglas in St. Louis as a riveter for a few years before returning to Steelville in the late 1960’s.  She worked in the meat department at the local IGA store for a few years and then spent seventeen years as a Postal Clerk for the Steelville Post Office and surrounding post offices. In the early 70’s, she loved to bowl and became the first president of the Women’s Bowling Association at Steelville Lanes.  Fran also was employed by Playhouse Toy Company in the 1970’s, successfully climbing the ladder, winning trips and earning benefits.  In the late 70’s, Fran and George purchased the Wash Tub Laundromat in Steelville.

In 1982 Fran married the late Vern Barton and they were happily married for 20 years.  They bought the local Birds Nest Lodge a few years later, renovating it and successfully turning it into a lucrative business.  They sold the Lodge in the early 1990s, retiring and enjoying traveling together while residing in Boliver, MO, then moving to Lake Okeechobee, FL and finally settling in Cuba, MO.

In November, 2003, Fran married the late Clarence “Barney” Barnhill, Jr. and moved to Owensville, MO. For 13 years, she and Barney enjoyed traveling the country while hauling campers for Quality Campers until retiring and moving to Steelville, MO, in 2015.  Barney passed that same year. 

Throughout her life, Fran loved hunting, fishing, camping, crocheting, reading, working jigsaw puzzles, playing Bingo at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Cuba, gambling at casinos, playing card games on her computer and was an avid St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan.  Fran was well known for her sense of humor and loved to play practical jokes on others. She had an infectious smile, loved life and didn’t want to miss any opportunities to learn or share something new.

She was proceeded in death by her parents, Floyd and Ovie Setzer; her husbands, Vern Barton and Barney Barnhill; two brothers, Granville Setzer and Robert Setzer; two sisters, Bonnie (Gene) Bolling and Almeda Howdeshell Campbell; and sisters-in-law, Lois Setzer and Pat Setzer.

She will be dearly missed by her 4 daughters; Kathlene “Kathy” (Jay) Key of Harrison, AR, Susie (Ron) Martin of Bullhead City, AZ, Cindy (Ricky) Martin and Merry Ziebol, all of Steelville, MO; 7 grandchildren; Scott (Tara) Key of Spring Branch, TX, Scott Martin of Los Angeles, CA, Joe (Lisa) Martin of Imperial, MO, Tanya (Brad) Brown and Ben (Rachel) Martin all of Steelville, MO, Anthony (Sunni) Martin of Proctorville, OH and Tenise (Dalton) Ertl of St. James, MO; 18 great-grandchildren; brother, Bill Setzer of St. Louis, MO and sister-in-law, Gloria Setzer Chase of Lake Okeechobee, FL; other many relatives and friends.

The Family received friends from 10:00 a.m. until service time on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, MO.

The funeral service was held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, 2025 with Rev. Jerry Beers and Rev. Rick Haggett officiating. Many memories were shared by Ron Howdeshell. Special music of "Hand to Hold", "Amazing Grace" and "Go Rest High" was sung by Regan Martin with Ben Martin accompanying on guitar.

Live-stream of the service is on Britton-Bennett Funeral Home FaceBook Page.

Committal prayer and interment were in the Freeman Cemetery, Cherryville, MO.

Honored to be casket bearers were Joe Martin, Anthony Martin, Ben Martin, Scott Key, Brad Brown and Dalton Ertl with Bill Setzer as honorary.

Memorials in lieu of flowers may be given to Eagle Flight Ministries, P.O. Box 125, Steelville, MO  65565

The Barnhill Family was served by the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home of Steelville, MO.

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