Cecilia Barnes

Cecilia Barnes, 71, passed away in her Houston home surrounded by her devoted husband of 38 years and two daughters on Thursday, the 7th of September 2023, after a hard, courageous fight with cancer. Officially a Houston resident, Cecilia also spent much of her time and created many fond memories on Crystal Lake, Michigan and in Sanibel, Florida.

Upon graduating the Kinkaid School in Houston, Cecilia attended Mount Vernon College. After 2 years, she transferred to the University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated with a degree in government. She then studied to become a paralegal and started her career at Vinson & Elkins, where she decided to pursue a law degree at the University of Houston. Cecilia found her passion in law and had many articles published in the Law Review. Upon graduating with her Juris Doctor, she was employed by Texas Eastern in Houston as an oil & gas lawyer, rising to the level of Senior Attorney.

Cecilia stepped away from her professional career and dedicated her skills towards raising her two daughters. She was very active in the community during the family’s 18 years in Bettendorf, Iowa. Serving on Junior League, Cecilia brought Mannheim Steamroller’s Christmas concert to the Quad Cities, raising funds to build one of the first-ever universally accessible playgrounds in the country during her term as president. She volunteered in her daughters’ classrooms and supported their activities including their shared passion for tennis. Cecilia loved sports; college football (especially the Longhorns, but also each family members’ alma mater), tennis, and the Houston Astros.

She had enthusiasm and passion for politics and would write many eloquent emails on the topics of the day. To clear her mind, Cecilia enjoyed walks on the beach in Sanibel looking for dolphins and seashells. She liked playing tennis with her friends in Michigan, Florida, and at the Houstonian, riding bikes, and ice cream.

She loved puzzles and used her creative talents to build intricate, professional-quality scrapbooks. Though she was quiet and private, Cecilia was known for her competitive nature, cute little laugh, and quick wit. She was a moral compass and confidant who would encourage and push her family and friends to make important life decisions. In her last year, she showed unimaginable strength and courage while battling Rhabdomyosarcoma. This trial made her already deep faith grow even stronger. Cecilia and family are grateful to our brothers and sisters in Christ who walked beside her throughout her life’s journey. She has given us belief that everything will work out through God.

Cecilia joins her mother Maria and father Merrill in Heaven and is survived by her husband, Scott; daughters, Jennifer (Chicago) and Kristin (Houston); and siblings Mariella (Haas) Allard, Merrill Haas, Jr. and Fred Haas, all who loved her so very deeply.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon to seven o’clock in the evening on Friday, the 15th of September, in the grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

As a “Pay Forward” person, Cecilia participated in voluntary research drug trials during her cancer treatment, waiving her privacy rights to benefit others in the fight to defeat Sarcoma cancer. In keeping with her wishes, in lieu of customary remembrances, contributions may be made to:

MD Anderson Cancer Center

In Memory of Cecilia H. Barnes

Sarcoma

P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486

Or Online

www.mdanderson.org/gifts

Work through the drop down tabs

Click purple color “Honor a Loved One” tab

Click “This Gift is in Memory of….” enter “Cecilia H. Barnes”

Enter Billing/Payment Information

Check the Box “I’d like to choose where my donation will go”

Click “Annual Fund”, then select “Other”

Type in the “Other” box “Sarcoma Center”

Finish the process and a receipt will be generated

or call 713-792-3450