Barbara Minter Barnes

Barbara Minter Barnes (“Bobbie”) was born in Roanoke, Virginia on August 21st, 1927 to parents Frank Gladstone Minter and Mildred Esther Hunter and living at 404 Lincoln Avenue with older brother Hunter and sister Frances. She grew up on a Magnolia tree lined street during a time in history where it was not uncommon for a uniformed military courier to knock on the door in the neighborhood with a telegram. As a young woman in high school, Bobbie was to experience two such telegram deliveries regarding the deaths of her older brother and her brother in law, both killed in WWII. These were also the times when “waste not, want not” was a depression mentality that families grew up and lived by.

Bobbie’s father, “Pappa,” was the Controller at the Norfolk & Western Railroad after his humble beginnings in the stockroom and was able to send Bobbie to a private, 4-year women’s college in Staunton, Virginia. Mary Baldwin College was where she met many lifelong friends and continued dating her high school sweetheart, Jack Dille, Jr.

Following Bobbie’s graduation from Mary Baldwin in 1950, and Jack’s graduation from The Naval Academy, they were married and lived in different areas while Jack continued his pilot training. Sadly, while in her mid-twenties and pregnant, Jack was killed in combat in Korea. She moved home to Roanoke and delivered her first of three children, John Dille III. Many of Bobbie and Jack’s military friends came to visit Bobbie and young John over a two-year period, including a young man by the name of Jim Barnes. He had graduated in 1950 from West Point and had double dated with Bobbie and Jack and began visiting Mom prior to being stationed in Germany. They were married and Bobbie delivered the second of three children in Germany, Anne Hunter Barnes ( nicknamed “Cissy”). When they returned to the States, her third and final child was born, James Cross Barnes III.

Bobbie raised her kids in Arlington, Virginia while Jim worked at the Pentagon, and commanded two tours in Viet Nam, taught at The War College and retired a Full Colonel. EVERYONE knew Bobbie Barnes …. She was the neighborhood Mom, carpooling, going to sports events, substitute teaching, cooking great meals daily and was the office manager for a busy OB-GYN group of Doctors. She loved real estate, the mountains, a nice glass of wine, her beach house getaway for yearly family gatherings, and dogs who she always had and raised each one from puppies, even at 88 years of age! (and they all enjoyed whatever food the family was having). She was fearless, even when she battled breast and bladder cancer, macular degeneration, bone on bone knees….. her family referred to her as “a force of nature”, the strongest woman on the planet!

Bobbie lost her husband Jim in 2021 after 65 years of marriage and in November of 2022 he was laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery. Bobbie was shortly thereafter moved from her Arlington home where she had lived for over 60 years, to The Kensington Assisted Living in Reston, VA where she has been living for the past 8 months. Bobbie Barnes passed away peacefully on July 24th, 2023 and will be joining her husband Jim at Arlington Cemetery sometime in the near future.

Bobbie is survived by her sons, John Dille III, his wife Laura and their sons John and Martin Dille; James Cross Barnes III, his wife Rosie and their sons James Barnes IV, his wife Diana and their daughter Zulin; Michael Barnes, his wife Juliana and their daughters Kaiya and Airlie. Bobbie is also survived by her daughter, Cissy Barnes. A special thanks goes to Bobbie’s wonderful in home caregivers, Katia Vela and Mesay Mekonen, who 24/7 gave unconditional love and care to her for many years. Bobbie Barnes, never to be forgotten and deeply loved!