BARNES, Donald E.

BARNES, SMITH, ELDREDGE, BRIGGS, NELSON, SPECHT, TESCH, MORALES

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 2/16/2009 at 15:38:53

Donald E. Barnes, 76, of Marcus died early Saturday morning, Feb. 7, 2009, at Baum Harmon Mercy Hospital in Primghar, Iowa.

Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Church of Christ in Cherokee, with Pastor Tom Lewis officiating. Burial will be in Marcus-Amherst Cemetery at Marcus, with military rites provided by F.I. Goodburn Post 517 of Marcus. Visitation with the family present will be 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Earnest-Johnson Funeral Home in Marcus. Visitation will resume one hour prior to Donald's services Wednesday at the church. Condolences, stories and expressions of sympathy may be directed through {www.mauerjohnsonfh.com.

Donald Eugene Barnes was born on March 29, 1932, near Marcus, Iowa, to Mabel Edna (Smith) and Vern Ferris Barnes. His early education was at the rural country schools and later, in 1949, he graduated from Marcus High School. Donald was inducted into the U.S. Army on Jan. 6, 1953, from Omaha, Neb., and served his country during the Korean War. Radio operator coding was his primary duty while in the service. Don was honorably and formally discharged from his military duties on Dec. 15, 1954, from Fort Sheridan, Ill.

Upon his return from the Army, Don enrolled in electrician classes at Coyne Electrical School in Chicago, Ill. He certified his education in July of 1956, and soon went to work for Southern California Edison Company in California. He was employed for this company for 32 years. Due to ill health, Don retired in 1987. While in California, he met his future wife. On Oct. 31, 1958, in Las Vegas, Nev., Donald was united in marriage to Charlotte Lorraine Eldredge. They celebrated their 50th anniversary this past year.

Don was a very disciplined, even-tempered and conservative man, who was always willing to assist anyone he could, in any capacity. It is claimed that "you could set your watch by him." He treasured traveling with Charlotte and favored visiting historic places, museums and antique shops. Don also enjoyed dining out, reading, wood carving, building model planes, bird houses, clocks and radios. He was a member of the First Church of Christ in Cherokee.

During Don’s entire adult life, his favorite hobby was his involvement with ham radios. He was an active member of three ham radio clubs and in his earlier years, assisted high school boys with attaining their radio licenses and teaching them the code. With his radio skills, Don worked all the states in America and numerous countries with ham radio and voice and international code. He graciously assisted many emergency and community services with his knowledge and loved making various antennas for his radios, attending conventions and reading the latest magazines.

Don is survived by his wife, Charlotte Barnes of Marcus; his two sisters, Mary Jo Briggs and Shirlee Nelson and her husband, David, all of Marcus; his three sisters-in-law, Lou Barnes of Spencer, Iowa, Elvera Specht of Cleghorn, Iowa, and Darlene Tesch of Paullina, Iowa. He will be dearly missed by numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Preceding Donald in death were his parents, Vern and Mabel Barnes; his sister, Grace Morales and her husband, Louie; and his two brothers, Chester and Dean Barnes.

Memorials may be directed to the family or a contribution in Don’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association-Big Sioux Chapter, 502 11th St. Sioux City, IA 51105.