Eugene Albert Barnes, III

Eugene A. “Barney” Barnes III of Scottsdale, Arizona, was greatly loved by family and friends, Barney, as he was known by everyone, died peacefully at Westminster Village on November 12, 2023 at age 93.  He was born November 6, 1929 in Oklahoma City, the only son of Eugene A. Barnes Jr. and Marie C. Barnes (Nee James).

He attended Classen High School in Oklahoma City and later graduated from New Mexico Military Institute. From there he attended the University of Oklahoma in the mid-1950’s where he left to serve in the U.S. Air Force and became a military policeman. He then returned to school where he met his future wife, Mary Helen Barnes (nee Coachman), and became a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, where he made many lifelong friends. The two married in 1957 and settled in Nichols Hills, Oklahoma. He initially worked with Thomas Hoch in the commercial art business before leaving to form his own company, Group Three Custom Picture Framing. Soon, he and Mary started their family, first with Eugene A. “Gene” Barnes IV in 1959, Charles C. “Charlie” Barnes in 1961 and James N. “Jimmy” Barnes in 1964. Dad and mom were fixtures of the Oklahoma City community scene, especially with regard to the arts. Dad was a member of Christ the King Church and they were also active members of the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. After dad retired from the picture framing business, they moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where they maintained their busy social lives before eventually moving to Westminster Village. They were married 63 years before mom passed away in 2020.

Barney was preceded in death by his wife Mary Helen and his son Jimmy, as well as his parents. He is survived by his son Gene, his wife Thelma (nee Buelna) and their daughter Erica Michelle; and his son Charlie, his wife Hua (nee Fei) and his daughters Sophia Barnes and Victoria Yao Barnes.