May 25, 1925 - July 10, 2010

ELKHART -- James R. "Jim" Barnes, 85, of Elkhart, died at 12:15 p.m. Saturday (July 10, 2010) at Riverside Village.

He was born May 25, 1925, in Elkhart to Jessie and Clara (Swartzell). He married Amelia "Mickey" Anzé Barnes on Sept. 30, 1950. She died on April 18, 1964. He married Mary "Jean" Kee on June 19, 1983, in Edwardsburg, Mich.

She survives along with four daughters, Cynthia (Mark) Padgett of Goshen, Debra (Terry Fosdick) Kreighbaum and Michelle (Bill Veich) Weaver, both of Elkhart, and Theresa (Mark Watkins) Barnes of New Carlisle; one stepdaughter, Linda (Gary) Wood of Kimmell; two brothers, Jack (Jackie) Barnes of Petaluma, Calif., and Arthur (Becky) Barnes of Kingman, Ariz.; one sister, Sheral (Don) Banacka of Freemont, Mich.; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren; and nine stepgreat-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Pete Barnes, and one sister, Lucile Ballowe.

Mr. Barnes worked in the recreational vehicle industry and also in maintenance at Kent Industries for many years. He was active in a local church and sang in the choir for many years.

He enjoyed making cabinets and loved to work with wood. He enjoyed fishing and hunting and, in his younger days, weightlifting and boxing.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, service from March 3, 1945 until his honorable discharge on Dec. 31, 1946.

Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and one hour prior to the noon service Wednesday at Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St. Pastor Marjorie Mason Braden, spiritual care counselor with The Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, will officiate.

Graveside services and burial with military honors will follow in the veterans section at Prairie Street Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care, 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637.