Carl Baird Barnes

Carl was born on July 11, 1947, in St. Louis, the son of Fred and Florence Barnes.

While living in Dallas, Texas, he met his future wife Lisa Graivier Barnes on an airline flight from Dallas to Houston in 1984. Carl was transferred to St. Louis in 1985 and then pestered Lisa until she relented, married him in 1987, and joined him in St. Louis.

Carl attended South Side Elementary School, Edison Junior High School, and Champaign High School, in Champaign, Illinois, where he was a yearbook and newspaper photographer and played the oboe and percussion in junior high and high school bands, dance bands, and orchestras. He and high school did not mix, and after discovering that a high school diploma was not necessary, he dropped out a semester early to attend the University of Illinois where he got his pilot’s license his first semester and graduated with a B.S. in economics in 1969. Carl then obtained his M.S. in economics and worked as a research assistant to Julian Simon, a world-famed economist who was his advisor.

Carl enjoyed three different careers: After working for the State of Illinois for three years in Springfield, Illinois, he moved to Chicago and joined Price Waterhouse, a (then) “Big Eight” accounting firm, as a business consultant, and later became one of a tiny minority of non-CPA’s to be made a partner. While there, he consulted for Bill Clinton, Joe Teasdale, Kit Bond, Playboy Magazine, and for many state and municipal governments from coast-to-coast. He also visited the inside of 46 state Capitol buildings.

Then, wanting to be his own boss and run a company as well as leave the hectic, travel-intensive world of consulting, he researched many small businesses. During a period of six weeks in late 1993, Carl left Price Waterhouse after 21 years; bought Reed Lumber, a pallet manufacturing business in Potosi, Missouri which he and Lisa still own at his death; and had their first child. He then delighted telling friends that he traded 250 flights per year for an hour and 40 minute driving commute each way.

Carl led an active, exciting, well-traveled life: He biked and camped out on a week-long bicycle trip to state parks in Indiana when he was 15 with his best friend since first grade, Kip. Carl hitchhiked, including a trip from Illinois to Salt Lake City while in college. He lived on Glen Lake, Michigan with Kip their summer after high school and later bought cottages there as partners with Kip in 1988. Since then, Carl and his family have enjoyed vacationing every summer there. He attended 19 Indianapolis 500 races in a row; honeymooned in Australia, New Zealand, Guadalcanal, and Tahiti; flew twice in the Concorde, a supersonic transport jet; attended two 24 Hour Races in Lemans, France, and two Paris Air Shows; traveled to Europe and Africa for business and with his family; and vacationed with his wife’s family in Mexico and the Caribbean for 25 years in a row. Additionally, Carl owned two airplanes at different times and obtained his instrument and commercial ratings as well as flew aerobatics. He flew his own bush plane four times to Alaska with a friend and once solo to Nova Scotia. And Carl was the air operations manager of both the VP Airshow in downtown St. Louis and the St. Louis County Fair Airshow for many years.

Carl was a longtime member of the Saint Louis Club and served at various times as a director, treasurer, and president. He was president of the Missouri Forest Products Association, was on the board of directors of the YMCA of the Ozarks, and was a dedicated season ticket holder of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra since moving to St. Louis.

Those who knew Carl know that he had an inimitable sense of humor. His puns were unique and numerous, and his jokes and stories produced endless laughter and frequent eye rolls.

Carl’s proudest accomplishments were his and Lisa’s two terrific children who are successfully making their own ways in life.

Carl is survived by his wife Lisa; their son, Fred Barnes, and their daughter, Emma Barnes, both of Kansas City; sisters-in-laws, brothers-in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, two half-brothers, and his in-laws.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, April 17, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at United Hebrew Cemetery, 7855 Canton Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, followed by memorial service at 12:00 p.m. at Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri 63105. The funeral service will be live-streamed and can be accessed at the link below.

https://www.centralreform.org/memorial-service/

A Shiva reception will be held at Central Reform Congregation later Friday evening, April 17, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. with a minyan service beginning at 5:30 p.m.

A separate reception will be held to honor Carl for friends and colleagues in the forest products community at the YMCA Trout Lodge, 13528 State Highway AA, Potosi, Missouri 63664 on Saturday, May 2, 2026 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can made to Dr. Kian-Huat Lim’s research at WashU Medicine, MSC 1082-414-2555, 7425 Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63105. Please indicate the gift is to Dr. Lim’s research in memory of Carl Barnes by writing a memo on your check. You can also give online at siteman.wustl.edu/tribute by typing in “Dr. Lim’s Research” after selecting “Other – Designation”. Contributions can also be made to the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, 12 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146, or to Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman St Louis, MO 63108, or to a charity of your choice.