Christmas night is usually the one time of year when families across Iowa settle in, safe and warm, to share stories and a bit of holiday cheer. But for the small community of Mapleton, this past holiday took a heartbreaking turn. What began as a quiet evening in Northeast Monona County ended in a devastating accident that claimed the life of 75-year-old Rosemary Barber, a local woman who was just trying to make her way home.
It was around 7:40 p.m. when the crash happened on 130th Street, just a short distance east of Walnut Avenue. Rosemary was behind the wheel of her 2013 Ford Escape, traveling through an area that had become swallowed by a thick, heavy fog. The kind of Iowa winter fog that makes it hard to see the edge of the road, let alone the lights of another car.
The Iowa State Patrol says Rosemary was in the middle of turning her SUV around on the roadway to head back west when the unthinkable happened. As she maneuvered her car, a 2018 GMC Sierra pickup truck driven by 31-year-old Cody Clausen of Schleswig came upon the scene. Because of the blinding fog and limited visibility, the timing was tragic. The pickup struck Rosemary’s SUV directly on the driver’s side with incredible force.
The impact was severe, leaving the Ford Escape badly mangled. Emergency responders from Mapleton Fire and Rescue rushed to the scene, working quickly to get Rosemary the help she needed. She was still wearing her seatbelt when they found her, a small detail that shows she was doing everything right on a night when the weather simply wouldn’t cooperate.
She was rushed to Burgess/Onawa Hospital with critical injuries. Back in town, news of the crash began to spread as neighbors recognized the flashing lights in the distance. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, Rosemary passed away later that night. The news hit Mapleton hard, turning a day of celebration into a season of mourning for everyone who knew her.
Cody Clausen and his passenger were not injured in the collision. While the physical scars of the accident may have missed them, the weight of the evening is something no one involved will soon forget. The Monona and Crawford County Sheriff’s Departments both stepped in to help the State Patrol piece together exactly how the foggy conditions led to such a high-stakes moment on that quiet stretch of road.
As the investigation continues, the people of Mapleton are left holding onto their loved ones a little tighter. Rosemary Barber’s death is a painful reminder of how quickly life can change, especially during the holidays. For now, a community is coming together to remember a life lost too soon and to find some sense of peace after a Christmas night that went terribly wrong.
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