Obituary of Roy Wallace Barnes

Roy Wallace Barnes, born August 3, 1935 went home to be with the lord on October 11, 2014. He was 79. He is preceded in death by his father, Woodrow Huel Barnes and his mother, Easter Barnes. He is survived by two sons. Jess Barnes of Stillwater, wife Tami, daughter Hadlee (2), sons Gage (14) and Noah (17). Eric Barnes of Tulsa, wife Susan, daughters Emily (16) and Ashley (14). He is also survived by Christy Johnson, the love of his life and cohort in adventure for 30 years. Christy’s children and grandchildren (to whom he was uncle (Roy) – Jennifer & Bud Kinnear, Frisco, Tx, sons Nicholas (19) and Jack (15). Andy & Lisa Johnson, Tulsa, daughters Emily (15), Hannah (12), son Tyler (7). Jodi & Jason Baker, Tulsa, son Jacob (7), daughter Addison (5). He graduated high school in Jenks, America, and attended Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma A&M back then). Anyone that knew Roy most likely remembers the first time they met him. One moment you were strangers, the next, you were engaged in a conversation that skipped formalities and jumped straight to the good stuff. Simply put, he never met a stranger. He’d talk to anyone, anywhere, and was always ready to listen. On a recent walk through Jess’ neighborhood, he struck up a conversation with someone he’d never met and learned the man’s wife had recently passed away. Roy prayed with him for comfort right there in the street. Roy’s heart and arms were always open. For years, he dressed up as Santa Claus. While in costume, he once walked into a Christmas party, with no idea whose home it was, proclaiming “ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas” and passed through giving Hershey’s Kisses to all the guests. He left as quickly as he arrived, and the hosts of the party likely still wonder who in the world arranged for Santa to drop by that night. Another time he saw that friends had kids visiting, and Santa dropped in unannounced, to the delight and surprise of all in the house. Roy was a giver. He loved hunting, fishing and all things outdoors. Complications with a back surgery caused Roy to walk hunched over in recent years, but despite difficulties with mobility, he was still able to go fishing regularly. He (and we) so appreciated his friends who would get him out on the water. Those trips added years to his life. He was patient. When he was able, he would sit in a treestand from dark til dark in the hopes of connecting with a whitetail. Even in recent years, he’d spend several hours at a time in a deer blind thanks to the help of some very dear friends who knew what it meant to him. Roy had a passion for introducing people to the outdoors. And he never missed an opportunity to share wisdom along the way, from simple tips on casting or shooting, to profound scriptural truths. He loved photography. He took literally thousands of pictures in his life, and loved sharing photos with others. He took his camera everywhere. Yes, even funerals. In his book, if something was broken, you didn’t replace it, you fixed it. And he could fix pretty much anything. He was a strong patriot who stood up for what he believed, and inspired us to do the same. At a recent 4th of July celebration, a couple remained seated during the National Anthem. Roy promptly “encouraged” them to stand up in honor of our country and those who’d fought to protect our freedoms. While he never served in the military, he was a staunch supporter of veterans. He was a conservative. Most of the time, Rush Limbaugh was conservative enough for Roy. Most of the time. Roy made sure Jess and Eric knew each day how much they were loved by him, and how proud he was of his boys. He loved helping people. He would drop anything to aid his family. And countless stories from his friends in recent days have shown us he’d drop anything to help them as well. Whether to fix something, to catch a troublesome gopher, to provide comfort, wisdom or advice, he was there in an instant. He lived a life of service. He was on the board of the Jenks Public Schools Foundation, served as the Jenks Republican Precinct Chair and as the Kiwanis Club liaison for the Jenks Key Club. He also enjoyed volunteering for the National Wild Turkey Federation and helping the kids at the Oklahoma Burn Camp learn archery. He was a true friend to many, and they were true friends to him. His deepest desire for his friends and family was that they come to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Often times he overtly shared his faith, other times he simply served and loved – and prayed. He was always actively pursuing others for the Kingdom of God. Roy was friend, mentor, Uncle Roy, Dad and Grandpa Roy, but most importantly, Roy was a child of the living God. He was a follower of Christ, and as a result, we will see him again. After his peaceful passing in the hospital, we rejoiced that in heaven, he is standing up straight once again, and free of pain. Someone stated, “he is probably fishing,” another “or maybe deer hunting” and still another “maybe in heaven you can fish and deer hunt at the same time!” Impossible to tell if there are such things in heaven, but scripture does assure us the joy and peace Dad is experiencing there far surpasses the thrill of being able to fish and deer hunt simultaneously. Hard to imagine, but true nonetheless. The family would like to thank all of those who provided care for him in recent years. Healthcare professionals and, most importantly, friends. Many, many close friends. Thank you. We are forever grateful.