Josephine F. Barnes

Born: June 13, 1930, Rochester, NY

Youngest of 5 siblings (4 girls, one boy) of Sebastian and Mary Polizzi. Josephine grew up in Rochester, NY, played cello in elementary and secondary school, attended the Eastman School of music there, and moved to Washington DC in 1950. She was working at a large law firm when she met her future husband, US Marine First Lt. William E. Barnes, then stationed at Quantico, Va. They were married February 2, 1952 in Washington, and travelled to California where Lt. Barnes was stationed at Camp Pendelton prior to assignment in Korea to lead a platoon in the war effort. Upon then Captain Barnes’ return from Korea in 1953, the couple took up residence in Alexandria, Va. They had 3 children, Melissa, Alfred, and William Jr. William Barnes died in July 1961, and Josephine took on the sole responsibility of raising their 3 children, and later caring for her elder parents, in the home they had established together.

Despite her great loss, Josephine continued to volunteer, work and devote herself to her family. She was a volunteer and officer at the Alexandria Legal Aid Society, and worked for a number of years at the Alexandra YMCA. She eventually joined a small missionary organization, World Mercy Fund, based in Alexandria, and supported Fr. Thomas Rooney, the founder of that organization, in planning the Fund’s major fund raising events in New York, Florida and elsewhere. In her role at World Mercy she travelled to Africa and visited the Fund’s schools, clinics and infrastructure projects in Nigeria, Senegal and Cameroons. Josephine retired from World Mercy after Fr. Rooney’s death in the late 1980s.

Josephine is the beloved grandmother of 9 grandchildren: Jennifer Love, David Love, Jason Love, Courtney Barnes, Lindsey Barnes, William E. Barnes 3rd, Taylor Barnes, Paul Barnes, and Ashton Barnes. She is the Great Grandmother of Michael Tenta, Jalen Love, Emily Love and Owen Love.

Josephine resided in the home south of Alexandria she and William first occupied in 1959 for the rest of her life. She was a member of St. Louis Parish, where her three children attended elementary school, for over 45 years. Born in upstate New York, she became and remained a devoted Virginian, and a beloved friend, sister, mother and (great) grandmother.