Claude Barney Richard Barnes Jr.

Claude Richard Barnes, Jr. was known as many things to many people. He was known as a loved one, a friend, an uncle, a son, a brother, a dad, a grandpa, a great grandpa and a thoughtful pinochle player. Most of his family called him Richard. Co-workers, friends and his wife, Alda, called him Barney. A few at work called him Dick. By whatever name they called him, family and friends who knew him best, will remember him as a very exceptional person.

Richard was born on January 6, 1923, at the family home at 1224 Front Street in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He was the son of Claude Richard Barnes, Sr and Elena Amanda (Larsen) Barnes. Richard grew up in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. His sister says the family was an average working poor family, working hard, and providing for each other.

Richard was raised with four siblings. He had an older sister Maxine, a younger sister Ina Lee and two younger brothers, Frederick and Larry. Richard was usually involved in all sorts of activities with his siblings. He and his siblings experienced rivalries typical of a growing family, but they shared many life experiences over the years. Richard was the animal lover according to his sister, Maxine, and spent a lot of time arranging chairs to make pens for his imaginary pets.

As a young boy, Richard had a number of interests. In the summers he and his siblings could follow a straight path through vacant lots to the beach at Lake Coeur d’Alene. They were told to start home when they heard the whistle on their father’s boat round Three Mile Point. Usually Maxine had such a hard time gathering all her siblings up, that they never made it home in time. Winter days were spent sledding on Birch Hill. Because winters were more severe then and children’s clothing was not as warm for the outside, they often could hardly make it home because they were so cold. Richard’s brother Fred once fell in some icy water and frost bit his finger tips before they got home.

Richard was an active teen who took part in football in high school. A typical teenager, he had a fairly happy high school experience, making that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He graduated from Coeur d'Alene High School in 1940. He enjoyed some classes more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. His favorite class in high school was probably math as he prepared for a career in science. He worked hard and did well in school.

He was a young entrepreneur and worked hard from the early years, selling ice, slab wood, and newspapers around town. He also sold candy and newspapers on a passenger boat in Lake Coeur d’Alene, "The Flyer,” which his father captained. His sister Maxine said they always worked hard, but they had fun, too. However, to Richard, the most fun to be had was simply playing and spending time with his neighbor friends, which consisted mainly of his siblings.

Richard enjoyed his college years, which may have been a challenge with all of the academics, responsibilities, and the sudden freedom that accompanied them, but Richard was able to manage the balancing act. He worked for the forest service for some time while he was at the University of Idaho. His sister, Maxine, however, encouraged him to drive truck for Pinehurst Lumber and live with her, husband Elton, son Curtis and a soon to be born Kenny.

Richard left the University of Idaho to serve in the Navy in WWII. He was trained and schooled and finally commissioned as an Ensign to serve on mine sweepers. He was in the Pacific Arena where he lost a mine sweeper to a typhoon near Okinawa. He then served on another mine sweeper before transporting it through the Panama Canal to the Naval Reserve in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Through his hard work, he achieved the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. His fellow sailors viewed him as a brother in arms and knew that he was as much a part of their family as their loved ones back home.

Upon completion of his Naval service in 1946, he began working at Kaiser Aluminum in Trentwood, Washington. There he met, Alda Marie (Batson) Barnes. On June 1, 1947, Barney exchanged wedding vows with Alda Batson at Millwood Presbyterian Church, of Millwood, Washington, which is now part of Spokane. Alda encouraged Barney to go back to college. They moved to Butte, Montana. He began his studies in geology. After a bitter cold winter in Butte, Montana, Richard decided he did not want to work in the field, as that degree required. He changed to Metallurgical Engineering and in 1950 completed his Bachelor of Science degree from Montana School of Mines.

Immediately after graduation, he and Alda returned to Spokane with their two children. He again started work at Kaiser in Trentwood. Fortunately, Barney enjoyed what he did for a living. Showing a strong work ethic, Barney worked diligently and did his best to succeed in his career. He worked as a production engineer to help develop and manage aluminum production/rolling mills at Kaiser Aluminum in Spokane, Washington, Birmingham, England, Sydney, Australia, Ravenswood, West Virginia, and Tokyo, Japan. Barney always sought to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done and get it done well.

After 22 years with Kaiser Aluminum, Barney moved to owning the Shoreline Motel in Port Orford, Oregon, with Alda. His next career step was to enter Real Estate in Coquille, Oregon. Known for his gentlemanly and low pressure approach, he bought his own real estate agency. After coastal Oregon living, he moved and spent over 20 years in the interior Oregon area. Barney managed property in the Bend/Redmond area. Finally, to fill his retirement days, he decided to take a part time job as a rental car associate at the Bend/Redmond, Oregon Airport. He enjoyed meeting people. More than once he had to redirect a customer back to the airplanes so that they could go to Redmond, Washington as they had taken the wrong plane in another town and arrived in Redmond, Oregon.

Barney finally stopped working outside of the home when he was almost 80. He did not relocate until his final 8 years when he moved from Redmond, Oregon to Puyallup, Washington to be closer to his son Carter. In final retirement, he found new pleasure in walking his dog and joining a senior pinochle group. Even in retirement, Barney continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances.

Barney was blessed with two children, one son, Carter James, and one daughter Claudia Beth. He worked hard to be a good father to his children and he did his best to fulfill their needs. Another blessing for Richard, after Carter’s marriage to Marcia Renee (Lochridge) Barnes and Claudia’s marriage to Jeffrey Charles Pierson, was the gift of five grandchildren, Carrie Elizabeth (Barnes) Broman, Amy Renee Barnes, Carter Andrew Barnes, Sara Marie (Pierson) Wood, and Alisa Dorothea (Pierson) Butcher. And always bringing a smile to his face in his later years, Barney enjoyed great grandchildren, Rocket Miner, Moses Barnes Miner, Roslynn Alda Butcher, Wallace Andrew Butcher, Owen Jeffrey Wood, and Harold Pierson Butcher. Another great grandchild will be born in June, 2016. To this new generation happy and historical stories of Great Grandpa Barnes will be told as they live and grow.

Always considered a “good” friend to those he knew, Barney enjoyed a broad group of acquaintances and several very close friends during his lifetime. Later in life, he became friends with co-workers at Kaiser Aluminum and church. He and Alda enjoyed playing bridge with these groups, having parties to get together and gab, and meeting with family at river, lake or park areas. Summer and weekend activities included visiting family and friends and raising animals in the their Spokane Valley home. They owned chickens, cows, pigs, and a couple of horses in the early 60’s. All the family cared for these animals, but his son Carter, especially took care of the horses and rode them in competition. A fun family activity also was swimming with Carter and Claudia in the then open irrigation ditch in the Spokane valley. That ditch has since been covered and put underground. The kids of today are missing a great activity!

Barney enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. His favorite pursuits were golf, spending time with family, fishing, and for some time owning an ocean going boat for fishing and crabbing. He was content and willing to share his interests with others. He was also a life member of the Kootenai Masonic Lodge # 24 AF& AM, Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, but not active in the many years he travelled away from the Coeur d’Alene area.

Barney was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he had the chance to do so. For some years he enjoyed an occasional visit to a Seattle Mariners baseball game with Carter and family. Later, he never missed a game on TV and enjoyed watching them each evening or afternoon with a friend who lived at the senior home with him. Dad knew all the players, many statistics, the size of their paycheck and the reason they were or were not traded to another team. In the winter, and with less enthusiasm, but regularly, he watched Seattle Seahawks football.

Throughout much of his younger life, Richard was an active member of Trinity Lutheran church in Coeur d’Alene. His faith was important to him, being raised in a Lutheran family, who attended church every Sunday. He was later a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Spokane, Trinity Lutheran Church in Sydney, Australia and other churches throughout the years. When he moved to Puyallup, he attended Bethany Baptist Church, with Carter and Marcia and family. He enjoyed the fellowship it provided as a church greeter with Carter, or in groups like the “Empty Nesters”.

Barney enjoyed some traveling but mainly while his wife, Alda, was still alive. Favorite vacations included Europe with Alda and another couple from Kaiser Aluminum, Hawaii on the way to and from Australia in 1962 and later, The Great Barrier Reef, when the family lived in Australia for four years, and a tour of Asia on a return trip to the USA from Australia. After the death of his beloved wife, Alda, in 1976, Barney’s travel mostly consisted of visiting his son, wife and three children in Puyallup, Washington and his daughter, her husband and two children in Fairbanks, Alaska. Of course, until the last two gatherings, he always faithfully attended the Barnes Family reunions, held every two years in a California, Washington or Idaho town near family.

Barney, as you read, was a lover of animals and liked having dogs around for himself and his children. Some of his favorites were a collie named Bobo and then later a poodle named Peppi and schnauzers named Tomo and Toto. His final pet and faithful companion was Sweet Pea, a gift he received from coworkers at the rental car agency. When dad initially had his strokes and could not care for this dog, he was heartbroken to have to send her off to Alaska. Sweet Pea became a member of daughter Claudia’s family until she died at the age of 14. Before that time, whether he drove or flew, Dad quite often took whatever dog he owned, with him, as his companion.

Dad passed away on February 25, 2016 at St. Clare Hospital, Lakewood, Washington. After a broken hip, in November, 2015, life and health became fragile and he died of natural causes at the age of 93. He is survived by son Carter and his wife Marcia, daughter Claudia and husband Jeff and 5 grandchildren, 7.5 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. A burial service was held at graveside at the Pines Cemetery in Spokane, Washington and a service of remembrance was held at the Ft. Sherman Chapel in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He was laid to rest next to his beloved wife Alda.

Simply stated, Barney was a good and kind person, an individual who will for all time be remembered by his family and friends as being a caring person, someone who was a vital part of our lives. Barney leaves behind him a legacy of life-long friendships and many cherished memories. Everyone whose life he touched will always remember Claude Richard "Barney" Barnes, Jr.