Vance Middlebrooks Barnwell

Vance was born in Atlanta on November 18, 1950, to James Middleton Barnwell and Ruth Middlebrooks Barnwell and grew up in the northwest part of the city. As a child and young man Vance enjoyed playing a variety of sports, particularly baseball and basketball.

Vance graduated from Northside High School in 1968 and enrolled in the University of Georgia, where he majored in history and joined the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. After receiving his undergraduate degree at UGA, he embarked on a 30-plus-year career in public education and returned to graduate school for both Master’s and Specialist’s degrees in Educational Leadership. Vance taught social studies at Lithonia High School and Parkview High School for more than a decade before moving into administration at Central Gwinnett High School in Lawrenceville.

Although Vance enjoyed his work, his true devotion was to his family. Vance met his wife, also then a public school teacher, at a Clarkston apartment complex where they both lived. They married in 1979 and moved to Gwinnett County, where they raised two sons.

Vance was patient and kind – a man of great integrity with a servant’s heart. He enjoyed the music of his youth, movies both quirky and classic, and books with unique protagonists. Vance spent many Saturdays in the fall tailgating before UGA games, and he valued time spent hiking and traveling with friends and family. He especially treasured a trip to Lesotho to visit Travis’s Peace Corps site. Vance’s humor was always witty and often corny. He was quick to smile, slow to anger, and eager to listen. He was intensely proud of his children.

Vance is survived by his wife, Georgia Lee (Dickey) Barnwell, sons Matt and Travis (Tiara) Barnwell, mother, brother Jimmy Barnwell and sisters Lisa (Tim) Gleason and Margaret (LuJack) Ewell. His father preceded him in death. At the time Vance died, he was greatly looking forward to meeting his first grandson, whose birth is expected in early September.

Vance’s family will hold a memorial service to celebrate his life at 3 p.m., August 27, 2017, at Bethlehem First United Methodist Church, 709 Christmas Ave. (Hwy. 11)Bethlehem, Ga. They will receive friends at 2 p.m. before the service in the narthex. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Vance’s memory to the church or to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, www.pancan.org.