The Memorial service will be held this Sunday at 2PM at Park Springs Community Hall, 500 Springhouse Circle Stone Mountain, GA 30087 followed by a reception.
Born on a farm near Elm Springs, Arkansas on August 12, 1927, he was the oldest son of Tommy Lewis and Mary Grace Boss Barnett.
He received BSA and MS degrees from the University of Arkansas in 1950 and 1954 and a Ph.D. in biochemistry and poultry science with emphasis in nutrition from the University of Wisconsin in 1957.
He and his wife, Bonnie, operated a hatchery in Springdale, Arkansas, from 1950-53.
He was employed at Clemson University from 1956 to 1988, serving as assistant professor, associate professor, professor and head of the Poultry Science Department. After a sabbatical at the University of Hawaii, he returned to Clemson as acting Associate Director of the South Carolina Experiment Station and later served as Assistant to the Vice President of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Dr. Barnett was active in the Poultry Science Association, a national professional organization. He served the association as a director, associate editor, annual program chairman, and as secretary-treasurer.
He served as director, vice president and president of the American Poultry Historical Society and was author of a chapter of a history book issued by the society. He was a member of the American Institute of Nutrition and a life member of the World’s Poultry Science Association. He was the author or co-author of more than 100 scientific papers as well as numerous articles for the popular press.
He was a U.S. Naval Reserve veteran of World War II, serving on the USS Marsh, a destroyer escort, in the Pacific theater during 1945-46.
He married Bonnie Porter in 1948 and they were parents of twin sons, Paul and Ronald, born in 1953, and a daughter, Susan, born in 1960.
He had a great appreciation for nature, enjoyed camping and growing flowers, especially rhododendrons, of which he became expert.
The Barnetts loved to travel, and after his retirement they traveled around the world, often with grandchildren.
During retirement, Barnett did extensive research on family history and compiled several books on the various branches of his and Bonnie’s families. He also took up watercolor painting as a hobby during his retirement years.
He and his wife split their time between St. Petersburg, Florida, Clemson and the Atlanta area during retirement, spending their last 12 years together at Park Springs, a retirement community adjacent to Stone Mountain Park. He shared his wife’s love of music and served as master of ceremonies, storyteller and part-time singer for an old-time music group she led at Park Springs called the Stone Mountaineers.
Surviving are his spouse, Bonnie; sons Paul (Janice) of Fort Myers, Florida and Ron (Kathy) of Easley, South Carolina; daughter Susan Rohrabaugh (Mike) of Norcross, Georgia; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. One grandson preceded him in death.
Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery on the Clemson campus, after services at Park Springs at 2 p.m. Sunday and at the Clemson Church of Christ, date and time yet to be determined.
Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to SOAR Ministries at 1827 Preserve Creek Way, Loganville, GA 30052; Lilburn Co-op at 5329 Five Forks Trickum Road SW, Lilburn, GA 30047; or MC3 Church MUST Summer Lunch Program at 1227 Rockbridge Road, Suite 208-251, Stone Mountain, GA 30087.
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