Jane Hout

Jane Ellen Hout was born on September 24, 1969, in Storm Lake, Iowa, the third of six children and one of twin daughters born to James and Marne (Krupke) Barker. She was raised in the Presbyterian faith and they grew up a close-knit family. She received her education through the Odebolt-Arthur Schools.

Jane married and was blessed with five children during that union. During the closing of that marriage, she returned to the Odebolt area to be closer to family. She later married again and was blessed with a sixth child, a daughter. After her second divorce, Jane followed her own path and eventually settled in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where she made her home.

It was in Council Bluffs that Jane’s passion for art truly flourished. She created and sold her artwork at local farmers markets and craft fairs, where she became known affectionately as the “Magnet Lady.” She donated her pieces to causes close to her heart, including the local library, Peer Connection through Heartland Family Services, and especially the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), which proudly displays some of her works.

Jane loved her Chihuahua and was a strong advocate for social justice. She was actively involved in local Democratic groups and passionate about lobbying for mental health legislation. She had a love for children and found joy operating in her in-home daycare in her early years, where she cherished watching the little ones grow over the years.

Jane passed away on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of 55 years from heart failure brought on by chemotherapy and radiation treatments for breast cancer when she was 25. She was preceded in death by her children: Christian, Anna and Marcus and her sister, Rosemary.

Jane is survived by her parents, Jim and Marne Barker; siblings: Tony (Cindy) Barker and their children, her womb mate- Mandy (Bill) Hocker and their children; Glenn (Renae) Barker and their children, Gretchen (Chris) Forristall and their children and Nick Barker; children: Rebecca Neddermeyer, Margaret Neddermeyer and Paige Hout; close friends: Louie, Cheryl and Barb.

She will be placed to rest at the Hayes Cemetery near Arthur, Iowa.