Harold John Barnes

Harold John Barnes, 97, of Conneaut, Ohio passed away peacefully on Friday, May 03, 2013, at the Marquette Hospice House in Meadville, following a short illness.

Born May 10, 1915, in Conneaut, he was a son of the late John Franklin Barnes and Martha May Loper Barnes.  At the age of one, he moved with his family to a farm in West Springfield, Pa. graduating from high school there in 1933.  In 1942, he went to work for General Electric in Conneaut and worked there until his retirement in 1978.

He was drafted into the army in 1942 and served in Europe until his discharge in 1946.

On April 20, 1948, in Fountain County, Indiana, he married Lola Mae Douglas, the sister of one of his army buddies.  They were married for 59 years until her passing in 2007.

Harold was an avid gardener, planting and tending to a great variety of fruit trees and berry bushes.  He went to church all of his life, serving as a Sunday school teacher, music leader and, on occasion, filling the pulpit.  As a young man, he attended the West Springfield United Methodist Church returning to that church in the latter years of his life.  He was a member of the Free Methodist Church of Conneaut, Ohio from 1959 until its closing in 1990.

He is survived by two sons, the Rev. Arthur L. Barnes and his wife, Kristy, of Linesville, Pa., and Larry John Barnes of Conneaut, Ohio; three grandsons, Kristopher Lee Barnes and his wife, Sharon, of Meadville, Pa., Matthew John Barnes and his wife, Christine, of Linesville, Pa., and Michael Paul Barnes and his wife, Katie, of Nashville, Tn.; and seven great-grandchildren, (Kristopher) Julia and Laura, (Matthew) Emily, Katherine and Timothy, and (Michael) Cale and Adelyn.

In addition to his parents and his wife, he was preceded in death by a brother Ralph Edward Barnes and a granddaughter Kelly Marie Barnes.

Calling hours will be held on Sunday at the West Springfield United Methodist Church, 13790 Chestnut St., West Springfield from 3 to 5 p.m. immediately followed by a funeral service at the church at 5 p.m. with Pastor Bob Klingler officiating.  Burial will be private in the Glenwood Cemetery in Conneaut, Ohio.

Anyone wishing to make a memorial donation may give to either the West Springfield United Methodist Church, 13790 Chestnut St., West Springfield, Pa 16443 or to Hospice of Crawford County, 464 Pine St., Meadville, Pa 16335.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Royal-Coleman Funeral Home, 6028 U.S. Highway 6, Linesville.  Please share a condolence or memory for the family at royalcolemanfuneralhome.com.