Arthur Leroy "Barney" Barnett

Asheville - Arthur Leroy Barney Barnett , 78, of 373 Old Leicester Highway died Sunday, March 10, 2002 at the Mountain Area Hospice Solace Center. A native of Oskaloosa, Iowa. He has resided in Asheville since February 1966. Mr. Barnett retired in 1981 from the N.C. Highway Commission where he started his career in Raleigh, N.C. in 1951 as a Bridge Design Engineer. In 1966 he moved to Asheville and was over 17 counties in the area of Bridge Construction. He served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army during World War I I, was a member of Longview Baptist Church in Raleigh and a member of Victory Baptist Church in Asheville where he lead Little Worship for over 24 years, was a Sunday School Class Teacher, ordained Deacon and worked on various property committees. He worked in many missions including Togo, West Africa and Poland and made 14 trips in the mission fields in the Ukraine. He was a son of the late Frank and Blanche Pearl Darland Barnett and was also preceded in death by his daughter, Diane Ethelyne Barnett Bay who died May 9, 1989 and brother, Roland Russell Barnett and sister, Frances Phillips. Surviving are his wife, Thelma Stephens Barnett of the home; daughter, Jean Elizabeth Dixie McIntosh and husband, John of Gastonia; sons, Daniel Arthur Barnett and wife, Paula of Carefree, Arizona and James Timothy Barnett of Wytheville, Virginia; son in law, Gary Wayne Bay and wife, Becky of Arden; brother, Clarence Grant Barnett of Rock Island, Illinois; half sister, Blanche Julia Babe Vance of Oskaloosa, Iowa; half brother, Emory Joe Laud of Des Moines, Iowa; grandchildren, Lisa, Kimberly, Melissa, Sarah and Justin and great grandchildren, Alex and Zachary. Funeral Services will be held 12 noon Wednesday at Victory Baptist Church with the Rev. Larry Sprinkle officiating. Burial will be in Ashelawn Gardens of Memory. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Anders-Rice Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Victory Baptist Baptist Church, 80 Olivette Road, Asheville, N.C. 28804.