Anita Barnes

Anita Lee Barker Barnes, born August 9, 1962, entered into the presence of her Savior on Friday, February 18, 2022. She was, no doubt, welcomed to Eternal Celebration by her parents Barbara (Brown) and Frank Barker, Jr. who had both recently preceded her in death.

Anita attended Briarwood Christian School from kindergarten through the 12th grade. She then attended Auburn University where she was a cheerleader and a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. After graduating with an education degree, Anita joined the staff at Briarwood Presbyterian Church working with high school students. In August of 1988, Anita married Billy Barnes, who had also joined the Briarwood Church Staff. Together Anita and Billy served the Lord at Briarwood while Billy attended Birmingham Theological Seminary.

In 1999, the Barnes family (now including Taylor, Francie, and Richard) moved to Scottsdale, AZ to plant a church with the Presbyterian Church in America. During the following 14 years, the Barnes family worked as a team to serve the church while also adding another son, Robby, to complete the family. They gained hundreds of treasured friends whom they regretfully left behind In July of 2013, when Billy was called to become the Associate Pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN. Again, God used Anita’s unique gifts of hospitality, teaching, and bread-baking to win the hearts of a new and dear set of friends and to build His Kingdom. In August of 2020, Anita was diagnosed with an aggressive lymphoma. The majority of the following year was spent with Anita in treatment at M.D. Anderson. Despite excellent medical care, the cancer metastasized to Anita’s brain. Throughout the process, however, the joy and love and Christlike spirit that Anita exuded never diminished. In November, the Lord brought the Barnes back home to Birmingham where Anita was able to help care for her parents and was present to usher them both into Heaven before the cancer debilitated her own speech and mobility (though never her joy.)

Anita will be greatly missed by her husband, Billy, their four children, Taylor (Lizzy), Francie (Bobby) Riis, Richard, and Robby, and by her soon-to-be born name-sake, Anita Lee “Annie” Riis, her sister Peggy (Tim) Townes and brother Frank (Pam) Barker, III, as well as thousands who know Jesus more intimately because of her life.

A memorial service will be held at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Nashville on Saturday, March 5 at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to JH Outback Nashville (https://raisedonors.com/outback/city-giving - under designation choose Outback Nashville.)