Hershell Louis Barnes Jr.

Hershell L. Barnes, Jr., 68, passed away at his home in Dallas, Texas, on July 5, 2011. Hershell was born on June 4, 1943, in Dublin, Texas. He was the son of Hershell Louis and Dell Barnes who both preceded him in death. Hershell is survived by his wife, Mitzi Tolbert Barnes; his son, Hershell L. Barnes, III and his wife, Jamie; and his daughter, Jessica, and her husband Tom Collard. Hershell had five grandchildren, Jake, Brooklynn, Hershell IV, Luke, and Colt whom he dearly loved and cherished. He is also survived by his sister, Sherry Love Dill. Hershell’s family moved to Cisco where he graduated from high school in 1961. He then headed to Lubbock and Texas Tech University where he received a degree in business and was awarded his law degree with honors from Texas Tech University in 1970, the first graduating class, where he was a member of the Law Review. He began his law practice in Dallas, Texas, with Seay, Gwinn and Crawford. He then moved to Haynes and Boone in 1982 where he became the Section Head of the Labor and Employment Law Section. In 2000 he and Jim Karger formed Karger Key Barnes and Lynn and in 2003 he started his own boutique labor and employment law firm. Hershell served as President of the Texas Tech Law School Foundation and was a member of the board of trustees at the law school until his death. He was a past member of the Council on Labor and Employment Law for the State Bar of Texas and the Council on Labor and Employment Law for the Dallas Bar Association. Since 1988, he was named in Woodward/White Inc.’s The Best Lawyers in America as well as being listed in D Magazine as one of the Best Labor Lawyers in Dallas. Hershell was also selected as “Texas Super Lawyer” by Texas Monthly. He was an officer of the Texas Association of Business and was also elected to their board of directors. He received inaugural Distinguished Service Award at the Texas Tech University School of Law in 2007. There is a classroom named for him at the law school. Hershell served in the U.S. Marine Corps and the Army National Guard Jag Corps. He loved his family, he loved his work, he loved Texas Tech University, and he loved his country. Visitation will be 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Friday at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home. Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday at Sparkman/Hillcrest Northwest Hwy. Chapel, Rev. Terry Parsons, officiating. Interment 3:00 p.m. Saturday at Comyn Cemetery, near Dublin, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations may be made to the American Heart Association.