Shirley Ann Barnett

The oldest of two children, Shirley was “Born on the fourth of July!!!!!! ”(1931) Her parents were Clarence and Helen Horner. When her children were young, she led them to believe the 4th of July fireworks were most certainly to celebrate her big day!

At the tender age of four, she was a Blue Ribbon winner at the American Royal Surry Event.

In 1945 she met Thomas Edgar Barnett, Sr. at Westport High School. They were married in 1948 and enjoyed 56 wonderful years together. He preceded her in death in 2004 and has been waiting for her in heaven ever since.

Shirley was employed as an EEG Technician at KU Medical Center for many years. However, she told her grandchildren she was everything ranging from being a trapeze artist, tightrope walker, lion tamer, singer, dancer, actress, fireman and secret agent. She referred to these fabrications as “joke lies”.

In reality, for the last 40 years she was a homemaker and “crafter extraordinaire”. She was an avid “all things shoes or flamingos” collector and a very creative and talented artist. She made her own porcelain dolls, illustrated and china painted her own decorative dishes and had a passion for collecting vintage metal pins that adorned all of her kitchen cabinets. She enjoyed displaying mannequins throughout her home and mastered the long lost art of tatting.

Her penchant for gambling took her to the Argosy Casino many times. She always left home in the High Roller Stroller (wheelchair) and oftentimes came back in the Loser Cruiser.

She was a loving woman and very devoted to her family. She was more concerned with others than herself in spite of her COPD and Congestive Heart Failure.

She is survived by two children, Kathy (Robert) Fernandez of Kansas City, Kansas and Thomas (Linette) Barnett of Lake Quivira, Kansas; her former daughter-in-law, Jennifer Barnett of Kansas City, Missouri; her sister, Donna (Robert) Parks of Merriam, Kansas; five grandchildren, Robert Fernandez, Jr. of Kansas City, Kansas, Peter Bird of Tucson, Arizona, Alicia Fernandez of Kansas City, Kansas, Kevin Barnett of Long Beach, California and Abigail (Peter) Abbey of Roeland Park, Kansas; and several nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held on Monday, February 2, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Mount Moriah & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri. BYOB. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Wayside Waifs (www.waysidewaifs.org) as she had many beloved pets throughout the years and this was her personal charity of choice. Donations may also go to The Kansas City Star.