Cornelius "Neil" W. Barnard

He was born on June 18, 1933 in Kansas City, MO. His parents were Cornelius W. Barnard, Sr and Lula Mae Barnard. He had three sisters, Alice Harris, Virginia Moore and Betty Barnard (who died as an infant).

In 1950 Neil enlisted in the United States Navy. As he said...he enlisted to see the world; but as luck would have it he never left the Great Lakes.

On May 27, 1961 he married Deloris “Jean” Rogers. He and Jean had two daughters, Melissa Sue born and died March 13, 1962, and Becky Lynn born June 15, 1964.

Neil, Jean and Becky lived in Kansas City until 1973 when they moved to Blue Springs.

Neil was a printer and spent the majority of his career working as the Printing Department Supervisor at Menorah Medical Center. He also owned his own small printing company and spent many nights and weekends doing extra printing jobs to give his family the best life ever.

Neil was never one to sit still and let life pass by. Instead he chose to engage every opportunity he could. He loved radio control cars, planes and boats. He enjoyed traveling to the Lake of the Ozarks during the summer to fish, swim and ski. Restoring two old cars, building and repairing clocks, listening to music and spoiling every dog he could. He was never too old to try something new.

When Becky found the love of her life and married Andy Davis, Neil got a son. He rarely referred to Andy as a son-in-law, he would tell everyone he was his son. That was a relationship that went both ways, because Andy always thought of him as his Dad too.

His grandkids Steven D. Davis (Lara Weedin), Vicki R. Davis (Eric Henry) and Zachary J. Davis all adored him. He was also lucky enough to have two great-grandkids, Adam Satterlee and Sarah Satterlee. He spent many days and nights with each one, creating adventures and making memories.

He loved phone calls from each one of them, he might talk a minute or an hour, either way he always said ‘I love you’ when they were done.

In 2000 Neil lost Jean to cancer and his heart was broken. But in late 2001 he met Catherine Hooker and his heart, although never healed...made room for a new love. On September 15, 2001 he and Cathy married in a chapel in Arkansas.

He and Cathy lived in Kansas City for 14 years, before selling everything and moving to The Villages, Florida. There they made great friends, had adventures of a lifetime and lived wonderful and happy for 7 more years.

After losing Cathy in May of 2021 as the result of a traffic accident, his heart was broken once again.

On Sunday night August 22, 2021 he went to be with God. To see Jean and Cathy, his daughter, parents and sisters who all preceded him in death.

Neil was an amazing man, a devoted son, brother, husband, dad, granddad and great-granddad and a loving friend to countless people. Those who knew him were lucky; he brought a smile wherever he went and shared it with everyone he could.

This world has lost a man of faith and of love, and our hearts will forever be broken.

A visitation will be held from 9-10 AM, service 10 AM, on Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at Floral Hills Funeral Home, 7000 Blue Ridge Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64133. Burial will follow at Floral Hills Cemetery.