Oma L. Barnes

In the early morning hours of November 16th, 2025, surrounded by her girls, our Grams, Oma Lou Reed Barnes, was reunited with our Gramps in heaven. Oma Lou, who we fondly call our LouLou, lived by the Word and loved the Lord with all her heart. She valued faith, family, hard work, and fresh-pressed sheets. LouLou taught us the importance of giving of ourselves in ministry to others, the art of mending and sewing, how to bake the best cakes, and how to keep a house better than the rest. She loved to have fun with her girls. From catching lightning bugs in the backyard, leading the marching band of pots and pans around the kitchen, to hosting sleepovers and cotillion dinners, our LouLou delighted in these precious moments with her grands and always made sure we had everything we could possibly need and more.

The only thing Grams loved more than her family was her Heavenly Father. She gave of herself and was devoted to her church and community. Nothing was more important to our LouLou than serving others. After losing her husband of almost 60 years, Calvin Barnes, LouLou found another way to serve by dedicating her remaining years to hospice care as a volunteer. Grams’s plate was never too full; she always had more to give and consistently put others first. She will always be remembered for her gracious and giving heart, her passion and independence, her dedication to those she loved, and her tenacious spirit.

Thank you for showing us the importance of family and how fortunate we all are to have each other. Thank you for instilling appreciation for snowy mountaintops, beautiful sunsets, and God’s grace. Thank you for grilled cheeses that warmed our souls, back scratches that soothed us to sleep, and regaling us with your tales of growing up and all your adventures. Thank you for passing on your love for pressing, singing sweet songs to our girls, having a good fingernail file and polish, and the importance of always having Blue Bell in the freezer.

On behalf of Grams and Gramps’s daughters, Gina Sowell (Rusty), Gayla Wyatt, and Thea Langley (Jason); her grandsons, Nick Wyatt and Zack Sowell; and her nine great-grands, we invite you to celebrate the life of Oma Lou Reed Barnes on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at Ridout’s–Brown-Service Prattville Chapel, with visitation starting at 11:00 a.m., followed by a service at 2:00 p.m., and a graveside service at Prattville Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, we invite you to honor our LouLou by supporting her beloved "Sewing for Missions" group sponsored by her home church, Camellia Baptist, a ministry that meant the world to her.

Grams, we love you much and miss you more — give Cal a big hug from us, too.

Megan, Peyton, Presley, Ryder, and Taite