Joseph Cornelius Barden

Joe was born in Saginaw, MI, on October 7, 1930, to Margaret (Grohman) and Leo Barden. He attended Jerome Elementary and St. Peter and Paul schools. He was on the football team. After graduating from St. Pete’s in 1948, Joe joined the United States Navy. He was discharged from the Navy in 1952 as a hospital corpsman petty officer third class.

Joe attended Michigan State University from 1952 to 1956, majoring in accounting. He graduated cum laude and was a member of Gamma Mu Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity.

Joe married Sandra Hewitt in 1957. They had five children: Timothy, John, Christine, Sharon, and Debra.

After graduating from Michigan State, Joe was employed as an accountant for two years with the Chevrolet Division of General Motors. In 1958, he was hired by the State of Michigan Public Service Commission as an auditor and testified in contested hearings concerning audits of public utilities (electric, gas, and telephone companies). He was promoted several times and retired as a Division Director in 1984. While with the MPSC, Joe was a member of the Accounting Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Commissions. He represented that group before the Federal Communications Commission with respect to rewriting the Uniform System of Accounts for Telephone Companies.

After his retirement, Joe became an expert consultant for a group of interveners in PSC rate cases and testified on their behalf before the PSC. He was a member of the (Michigan) State Employees Retirement Association, participated in the Capital City Chordsmen Barbershop group, was a member of the Lansing Art Guild, and painted many pictures. He also built models of sailing ships and had a HO gauge model train layout. He was a member of the Lansing Non-smoking Singles Club.

Joe was predeceased by his mother and father, sister Marilyn, brother Gerald, sister Rosemary, and close friend Phyllis Herbert. He is survived by sister Jean, brother Robert, five children, and seven grandchildren.

Services will be held on Wednesday, July 8 at 1 p.m. at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, East Chapel, 1730 E. Grand River, E. Lansing, MI with Pastor Frank Weller, South Lansing Christian Church officiating. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 7 at the Chapel from 6 – 8 p.m. and one hour prior to the service.

For those desiring, contributions may be made to Habitat for Humanity, 1941 Benjamin Dr., Lansing, MI 48906 in memory of Joseph Barden.

The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman East Lansing. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.greastlansing.com.