Eunice Lorraine Barnes

Eunice was born Eunice Lorraine Schroth (pronounced like Shrote) on February 27, 1928 in Santa Ana California at the house her daddy built. She is survived by her two children, Christine Lee (husband-Gil), and Brian Webb (wife-Jeannie), her 6 stepchildren, Jeanine Bickett (husband-Alan), Grace Ward, Cliff Barnes (wife-Heather), Maureen Upton, Lorena Barnes, and Kathy Stanley (husband-Chuck). She also survived by 19 grandchildren & 8 great-grandchildren –-and let’s not forget the 6 grand-dogs. ;-). She grew up in Santa Ana and Garden Grove and enjoyed playing piano and singing gospel hymns throughout her adolescence and into adulthood. Many don’t know that she graduated from Santa Ana high school in the same class as Pastor Chuck Smith. And - another piece of interesting trivia is that she shared the same birth day as the actress Elizabeth Taylor. Liz was exactly 4 years younger.

In 1946 she met Paul Meryl Webb at Spurgeon Christian Church and they were married on June 20, 1947. They welcomed their first child, Christine in 1951 and their son, Brian in 1955. After 41 years of marriage, Meryl Webb passed away & Mom continued to serve her Savior Lord by faithfully helping family and friends with various needs. In 1989, she reconnected with Pastor Norris Barnes - a friend she & Meryl had known from high school & had also known at Spurgeon Church. Since they had both become recent widows and had many friends in common, they began a dating relationship – traveling regularly between Norris’ home in Los Osos, California and her home in Garden Grove. They married when Mom was age 69 & shared 15 years together, traveling and continuing to serve our Lord in various capacities. In 1994, they enjoyed a trip to Scotland together with friends.

In the most recent 30 years, most everyone called her “mom” or “gramma” – even those who were not technically related to her. Mom devoted her life to her church and her family. She served multiple volunteer roles at her church. She spent many years serving as a caregiver for various family members. She was primary caregiver for her mother, Agnes, in the 80s and her dad, Jerome, during the last years of both their lives. She helped take care of her mother-in-law, Gene, and her father in law “Boppy” in their later years with failing health. Even while she was still working at her job at the elementary school - she took care of her husband, Meryl, for many years after his seizure in 1974 & until he passed in 1988. After her 2nd husband, Norris, became disabled (due primarily to diabetes), Mom served as his caregiver until Norris passed to his new mansion in heaven in the year 2007.

Mom loved her time with her family and welcomed Norris’s 6 children as her own when they married. She loved each one of the adult children and the step-grand-children became like her own grandchildren. She found great joy in being with all her great-grandchildren, and strived to never miss celebrating their birthdays with them. As some of the step-children and grandchildren began moving out of California recently, Mom especially looked forward to their frequent phone calls to check on her. It was mom’s delight to pour out her love into a new, homemade afghan for each and every new grandchild – and even as her eyesight grew worse, she continued to make those afghan blankets as long as she could. Many here today will always treasure the afghan gramma made.

Mom continued to be in good health, except for her eyesight, until just a few months ago, when her 95 year old body became weaker and medical maladies were compounded. Determined to stay independent and live alone in the home she’d lived-in since 1953, she stayed busy taking care of her beloved cats, “Inky” and “Penny” and was a staunch prayer warrior for those she loved. Some of mom’s favorite times were singing some of the older hymns – like ‘the old rugged cross’ at the Methodist church and later at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and most recently as she watched & listened to church services on TV.

Until macular degeneration prevented her from writing cards, Mom was diligent about sending hand-written birthday, anniversary & special occasion cards to loved ones regularly. And, so many of us here today have looked forward to the yummy pomegranate jelly she made every year from the prolific fruit tree in the back yard of her Garden Grove home. Making jelly was just one of many examples of the tireless efforts and hard work that she loved so much because it gave joy to her loved ones.

She enjoyed spending frequent times with her step-daughter Gracie and the friends she met at the restaurants/diners where they ate often. Through those frequent outings, Mom loved getting to know especially kind people with big hearts who served her and loved her. She loved watching Gracie sing at church and meeting new people whose lives she blessed by her genuine love. She loved watching her great-grandchildren grow and mature, and seeing their laughter as they played & hugged their pets. The joy she felt when she was with Caleb and Allana was priceless and little Archer made her laugh often. She loved making jelly with Chris, enjoying dim sum with Chris and Gil and Thanksgivings and Mother’s Days at Jeannie & Brian’s, and random times with their two perky toy poodles. Brian especially remembers sharing corny jokes with his Mom, which would give her a big chuckle.

Eunice was as an exemplary Woman-of-God in too many ways to count. This family is beyond blessed to have had her love and her mentorship for 95 years. Mom’s faith was unwavering and her heart’s desire was that her family know Jesus as personal Savior & Lord, as she did. On Sunday, July 16, Mom was reunited with loved ones that passed into heaven before her. She wanted most of all to know that those of us here remaining would have assurance that they, too, would meet Mom again someday in heaven. If you were blessed by Mom’s life and would like to make a commitment to Jesus today, we are here to guide you through a simple prayer of receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord of your life.