"Darkie was irreplaceable in our organisation. It will take at least two, maybe three, people to carry out all her duties.
"We will miss her especially her little quips and her ability to get to the heart of matters," Mr Whitley said.
Barbara Love spoke of Mrs Barrow being a charter member of the Featherston Lioness Club, formed 24 years ago.
Mrs Barrow had held many positions in the club and was this year's president - for the third time.
Only the weekend before she died Mrs Barrow had been at a morning tea to raise money for Alzheimer sufferers and the following day had helped cook muffins and made lemon cordial in readiness for the club's catering commitments to the Vet Cycle Challenge.
She was the only Featherston Lioness to have ever been awarded the Lloyd Morgan Award, one of the highest awards.
Her brother Keith (Porky) Sexton spoke of his sister's early life, reflecting on how she had been born in Woodville, moving to Kahutara with her siblings when her father George took up horse training.
A few years later the family moved to Tauherenikau where Wally Pope, for whom Mr Sexton trained, had stables alongside the Tin Hut.
The Sexton children Fred, Porky, Toots and Darkie, went to Featherston School.
"A notable memory was travelling to school in Jack Lamb's bus.
"You can imagine a bus shaped like a match box and the kids used to say we were the matches travelling inside," Mr Sexton said.
All four children went on to complete their education at Kuranui College and on leaving school Darkie became a trainee at the Bank of New Zealand, firstly in Wellington and then in Featherston.
She later became assistant bank manager and during those years joined the Country Girls Club, now called Young Farmers, travelling overseas to two world conferences.
Mrs Barrow married Des in April, 1974 as she considered him to be Featherston's most eligible bachelor.
She delighted in telling people Des had worked at the Empire Hotel in Featherston and had proposed to her in the bar at 2.30am - "very romantic".
The couple moved to manage a hotel in New Plymouth but returned to Featherston after a year.
Mrs Barrow worked at Batavian Rubber Company, joining the staff with the idea of spending three months working the night shift.
Eight years later she left the factory to re-join BNZ and stayed at the bank until the Featherston branch closed.
She then travelled to Carterton working as a teller at the BNZ in that town.
Mrs Barrow was also involved with hockey and then rugby, becoming president of the Featherston Rugby Club.
She was closely connected with Featherston Volunteer Fire Brigade, her husband being a Gold Star holder along with her brother Porky, and brigade members turned out in force at her funeral service.
A tribute to Mrs Barrow was also made by South Wairarapa mayor Adrienne Staples.
Mrs Barrow was on Featherston Community Board and had actually nominated for election to South Wairarapa District Council and was expected to poll well.
Had she lived, and been elected, she would have succeeded her brother Porky, who this year decided to step down after 12 years as a district councillor.
Mrs Barrow is survived by her husband Des and her daughter Shar and family.
