Freeman W. Barner Jr.

Prominent Palm Beach attorney, Freeman Warren Barner, Jr. Esq., of West Palm Beach passed away peacefully surrounded by family on January 17th in Palm Beach Gardens after a brief illness. Freeman was born May 6, 1942 in Richmond, Virginia to Ruth Haskins Barner and Freeman Warren Barner, Sr of McKenney, Virginia. He graduated from Sunnyside-McKenney High School, attended Christchurch School, and graduated from Randolph Macon College in Ashland, VA where he was a standout pitcher. He earned an MS in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University and served in the US Army as a Captain during the Vietnam War while based at the Presidio in San Francisco. In 1973 Freeman received his JD Degree from the University of Florida Law School where he was executive editor of the Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif. He began his law career with Cromwell, Pfaffenberger, et al; among his prominent clients was John D. MacArthur. For the past 10 years, Freeman was in practice with his son, Brett C. Barner, Esq. who became his partner in Barner & Barner, P.A. which focuses on estate, trust, and guardianship litigation. Outside of the practice of law he assisted in the founding of The Benjamin School in NPB where his children attended. He was on its Board of Directors for 25 years, serving as Chairman of the Board and President for eleven of those years.

Freeman loved the outdoors, including fishing with his beloved wife, Deirdre Blakely-Barner, in the Ibis Golf and Country Club lakes using his golf cart as his "Bass Mobile." He was an exceptional personality and the consummate Southern gentleman, respected by colleagues and opposing counsel alike for his legal acumen and his high ethical standards, a perfectionist in all he did. He will be sorely missed!

In addition to his wife, Freeman is survived by his 4 children: Robert Freeman Barner of Washington, DC, Sharen Virginia Barner Burns (Mrs. Thomas) of Great Falls, VA, Brett Charles Barner (Fiancée, Ivette Lipp) of Jupiter, FL, and Bethany Page Barner of Great Falls, VA, a sister, Sally Ruth Barner Leslie (Mrs. Gordon) of Pawleys Island, SC, 7 grandchildren, and his devoted poodle, Lulu.

A Celebration of Life service will take place on Thursday at 3:00 pm at the Howard-Quattlebaum Funeral Home, 754 US Hwy. 1, North Palm Beach, FL 33408.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his memory to the American Lung Association: www.lung.org or 2701 N. Australian Avenue, Suite 100; West Palm Beach, FL 33407