Dr. Donald E. Barnes

A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 25, 2012 At Spring Valley United Methodist Church 7700 Spring Valley Road, Dallas, Texas 75240 (972.233.7671 Memorials -in lieu of flowers may be made to VNA Hospice Texas (specify Collin County Branch) of Spring Valley United Methodist Church. Rev. Dr. Donald E. Barnes died on August 21, 2012 in Plano, Texas following an extended illness. He was born on June 18, 1930 in Monroe, Louisiana to Archie Lee and Leonia Anna Barnes. Don grew up in northern Louisiana and attended seventeen different schools from first through seventh grade due to his Dad’s employment with logging and road construction firms. Following high school, Don enrolled at Northeast Junior College in Monroe, Louisiana before transferring to Centenary College in Shreveport where he received his undergraduate degree in 1951. Don always held a job while attending college, but still made time for a number of campus organizations and activities including Wesley Foundation, Commerce Club, School Newspaper Staff, Student Council, Yearbook Staff, and was even the Head Cheerleader. Don entered Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas in 1952. Don was ordained Deacon in 1952, and Elder in 1955 in the Louisiana Annual Conference of the Methodist Church. While attending Perkins, Don met Shirley Elizabeth Roland, an SMU coed. He found a way to see Shirley every day for 19 days in a row prior to Christmas break in 1952. On June 7, 1953, Don and Shirley were married at the First Methodist Church of Joplin, Missouri by Rev. Ralph Roland (Shirley’s Dad). Their daughter, Karen Elizabeth, was born on January 27, 1956. They welcomed their son, Kenton Roland into the world on March 28, 1959. Don has literally spent his life in Christian ministry. He served as Youth Director, Associate, or Pastor-in-Charge in the following local churches: Cedar Grove Methodist, while in college; First Methodist of Hugo, OK; Barksdale Methodist in Bossier City; First Methodist, Baton Rouge; Polytechnic Methodist, Fort Worth; Spring Valley UMC, Dallas; Glen Oaks UMC, Dallas; Arapaho UMC, Richardson; and First UMC DeSoto. Don and Shirley lived in Chile from 1962-66 where Don served as the Executive Director of Christian Education for the Chile Annual Conference. From 1987-91, Don served as the Director of the Conference Council on Ministries for the North Texas Annual Conference. Don’s passion and leadership in the area of Christian Education led to his election as Chairperson of the National Christian Education Fellowship. In July 1978, Don received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Texas Wesleyan College. While serving as Sr. Pastor at Arapaho UMC, Don became one of the founders of Network of Community Ministries which provides health and emergency services to children, low income families and senior citizens in need within the Richardson Independent School District. Upon retiring in 1997, Don remained active by continuing to serve in a variety of ministries, traveling, learning to use the computer, and spending more time with his family. He is survived by his wife Shirley; daughter Karen Farish and husband Steve; son Kent Barnes and wife Carolyn; grandsons, Robert, Russell, and Taylor Farish; brother Keith Barnes and wife Carolyn; brother David Barnes and wife Clair; sister-in-law Kay Wolfskill and husband Don; and many more members of his extended family.