Obituary for Barbara Ates Barnes
Barbara Ates Barnes, 89, of Milton, Florida passed away May 16, 2023, after a sudden and brief illness. Mrs. Barnes was born on August 2, 1933, in Berrydale, Florida to Vinson Ates and Minnie Cooley Ates. She was the third of nine children.
After graduating from Jay High School in 1951, she moved to Pensacola where she began a career as a bookkeeper for Aetna Finance Company. She met the love of her life, James Allen Barnes Sr, in 1954, through mutual friends. They married on April 7, 1956, and remained committed to each other and their family until his passing in 2012.
Barbara was a compassionate soul who loved her family and friends deeply. She sacrificed her energy, time, and money taking care of others, even taking strangers into her home. Her unwavering faith in God combined with her high energy, no-nonsense approach to life brought her through many difficult times.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Vinson Ates and Minnie Cooley Ates; her husband James Allen Barnes, Sr; her son, James Allen Barnes, Jr.
She is survived by her daughter, Lisa Barnes Locklin (Burt); grandson, Dane Locklin; and granddaughters, McCalla Locklin and Suzy Barnes; and six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Curtis “Buddy” Ates (Carolyn), and Colvin Ates (Elaine); and sister, Johannah Phillips, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
While Barbara’s sweet soul is no longer with us, her kindness, love, and grace will live on forever in our hearts.
Barbara Ates Barnes visitation will begin on Saturday, May 20, 2023, at 12:30 p.m. with funeral services at 2 p.m. with a procession to Bayview Memorial Park immediately following.
After graduating from Jay High School in 1951, she moved to Pensacola where she began a career as a bookkeeper for Aetna Finance Company. She met the love of her life, James Allen Barnes Sr, in 1954, through mutual friends. They married on April 7, 1956, and remained committed to each other and their family until his passing in 2012.
Barbara was a compassionate soul who loved her family and friends deeply. She sacrificed her energy, time, and money taking care of others, even taking strangers into her home. Her unwavering faith in God combined with her high energy, no-nonsense approach to life brought her through many difficult times.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Vinson Ates and Minnie Cooley Ates; her husband James Allen Barnes, Sr; her son, James Allen Barnes, Jr.
She is survived by her daughter, Lisa Barnes Locklin (Burt); grandson, Dane Locklin; and granddaughters, McCalla Locklin and Suzy Barnes; and six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Curtis “Buddy” Ates (Carolyn), and Colvin Ates (Elaine); and sister, Johannah Phillips, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
While Barbara’s sweet soul is no longer with us, her kindness, love, and grace will live on forever in our hearts.
Barbara Ates Barnes visitation will begin on Saturday, May 20, 2023, at 12:30 p.m. with funeral services at 2 p.m. with a procession to Bayview Memorial Park immediately following.