Barnes Aldridge Sharitt Jr.

Barnes Aldridge Sharitt Jr. passed away on September 26, 2025, at the age of 83. Born on August 28, 1942, in Montgomery, Alabama, Barnes faced the challenge of congenital glaucoma, which led to his blindness. Despite this, he achieved remarkable success in his life.

In 1953, Barnes moved to Mobile, Alabama. He graduated from Murphy High School in 1960 and pursued higher education at William Carey College, where he earned a master's degree in mathematics.

Then he began his work life which led him around the country and world. After working at Redstone Arsenal (Huntsville AL) with NASA on the Saturn V rocket booster controls, Barnes worked for Sperry Univac, which later became Unisys Corporation, in Minnesota for 35 years. During that time, he worked on ship guidance and warfare systems, and other unnamed projects.

Barnes was an avid fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Minnesota Vikings, and Minnesota Twins. He was known for his extensive book knowledge, although he humorously admitted to not knowing which end of a screwdriver to use. His love for music was evident in his impressive vinyl record collection, which consisted of over 1,000 classical music items.

Barnes was predeceased by his parents, Barnes A. Sharitt Sr. and Cavell McMillian Sharitt, as well as his brother, Richard Lee Sharitt. He was married in June 1966 to Sandra Elaine Twilla, who passed away on May 24, 2007. He later married Phyllis Foster Sellers on August 9, 2012.

Barnes is survived by his four brothers: John Sharitt of Semmes, Alabama; Frank (Mac) Sharitt of Florence, Alabama; Hayward (Woody) Sharitt of Mont Belvieu, Texas; and Don Sharitt of Kingsport, Tennessee.

Barnes will be remembered for his faith, intellect, passion for music, and dedication to his community. He was deeply involved in his church and Masonic organizations in the St. Paul area, reflecting his commitment to community and service. He was a deacon at the First Baptist Church of St. Paul for multiple years while also being the organist page turner. He was also a member of Woodbury Baptist Church for many years.