Robert Joseph Barnet

April 27, 1929 - April 28, 2022

Robert Joseph Barnet was born April 27, 1929 in Port Huron, Michigan to Ruth Wittliff and John Barnet. Known then as “Bobby Joe”, he grew up playing on the shores of Lake Huron and working at the family-owned Barnet Drug Store. He navigated parts of the uncharted Eastern Michigan river system by canoe, thereby earning the rank of Eagle Scout. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Chemistry he earned a medical degree from Loyola University in Chicago. He then went on to work as a cardiologist, establishing the first Cardiac Care Center in Reno, Nevada and serving as the president of the American Heart Association.

After returning to Notre Dame for a degree in Philosophy, he shifted his attention to teaching and writing about bioethics, authoring 75 publications and sharing his knowledge as a Scholar in Residence at Georgetown University.

He realized a lifelong dream of traveling to over 50 countries and connecting with people all over the world. First, he cared for soldiers at a military hospital in Germany, and then he answered a call to work with an Italian priest in Northern Rhodesia (now known as Zambia), where they established a hospital and a community caring for people suffering from leprosy. He maintained a deep love for Zambia and her people, returning there over a dozen times throughout his life and continuing to support his friends there in a variety of ways, recently building an auditorium for a high school and installing solar energy at the Franciscan school and mission.

He married Millie Heifner in 1954, and they had six children together. In 1969 he married Helen Kresoja with whom he had three children. In 2007 he married Carol Taylor and moved to Northern Virginia.

He is survived by his devoted wife Carol, his children, Ben, Maria, Peter, Antonia, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Christina, Jacqueline and Ann Marie. His grandchildren, Scott, Brian, Elijah, Joshua, Jasper, Silas, Savilia, Barrett, Casey, Niko, and Stefan. His great-grandchildren James and Theo. He is preceded in death by his siblings Jack, Mary, Lawrence and Barbara.

Robert was a wise, brave, deeply compassionate and generous man. He enjoyed his rose gardens, fruit trees and bird watching. He loved helping wherever he saw a need. He celebrated life, savoring every opportunity to connect over food, dance and long conversations, urging friends to abide by his motto “sit long and talk much.”

Visitation Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 12 noon followed by Funeral Liturgy, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 3513 N St NW, Washington, DC 20007, Street parking only.

Reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in support of the work of Brother Tony Droll (Zambia) c/o

Conventional Franciscan Friars

103 Saint Francis Blvd

P.O. Box 55

Mount Saint Francis, IN

47146-0055