Richard "Barney" Bernard Roper Jr.

Richard Bernard Roper, Jr. “Barney” as he was known to all, peacefully passed from this life on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at his home in Louisville KY, aged 79, surrounded by his wife Jimmie, and his daughters Anna Laura, Emily, and Heather. He had stoically battled leukemia for seven years, and previously, prostate cancer.

Barney was born in Birmingham AL on June 7, 1942, the second child and first son of Richard and Jean. He graduated from Hueytown High School in 1960, and then attended Florida Christian College in Temple Terrace FL. He served his country as an Army Medic from 1965 to 1967. He and Jimmie were married in December 1967. Barney graduated from the University of Alabama Hospitals and Clinics’ School of Radiological Technology in early 1970. In addition to his life-long work in the medical field, Barney was also trained and worked as a draftsman; he designed and built the home in Pleasant Grove AL, in which their three children were raised. He and Jimmie moved to Danville KY in 1998, where Barney worked until his retirement in 2012. They moved to Temple Terrace FL in 2013, to Cumming, GA in 2017, and then to Louisville, KY in 2019.

Barney was gentle and kind, dependable, steady, trustworthy, faithful, strong, helpful, reliable, responsible, sentimental and romantic, an idealist but above all else, he was a child of God.

Barney loved cars... working on them, driving them, listening to them (he had an album of just race car sounds; he’d roll down windows at traffic lights to hear a nearby VW engine idling).

Barney loved a good road trip, and loved planning for it almost as much, understanding that the journey was to be enjoyed as much as the destination.

Barney had an appreciation of well made things, and an eye for beauty.

Barney's classic sense of style was unpretentious; he unapologetically did his own thing.

Barney was a man of integrity, very matter of fact, and had no use for artifice.

Barney expected the best from everyone, including himself.

Barney’s memory will surely live on in our hearts.

Barney is survived by his wife of fifty-three years, Jimmie, his daughters, Anna Laura, Emily, and Heather; and his seven grandchildren, Madie, Joel, Molly, Rebecca, Luke, Naomi, and Celia; and his brothers, Bill, David, and Dan; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his beloved sister, Betsy.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, June 27, 2021 at 5 p.m. at Arch L. Heady at Resthaven, 4400 Bardstown Road, Louisville KY 40218, with visitation from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.