Saturday
April 19th, 2025
5:09AM
Joan Ellen Barnes
Born March 11, 1944 died April 4, 2025
Joan passed away after a long illness. She was born in Gainesville Georgia and still just a teenager she married Benjamin Barnes. They soon welcomed a son Charles and decided to go to California “the land of milk and honey” (back then). They worked hard building a life together far from their roots. Two more sons Timmy and Glenn were born in California; after a few years, Ben and Joan missed their home and family, so they packed up and moved back to Georgia. Upon returning Joan got a job at Bamboo Gardens and for many years, she was everyone's favorite bartender there.
Later she worked for the city of Gainesville and was well known for bringing her fudge, black, walnut sponge cake, and caramel apple cake to work to the delight of her co-workers.
She and Ben always had a garden, they grew and canned tons of vegetables until Ben's health prevented him from physically doing the work gardening required. Joan loved to travel with her beloved sister-in-law, Betty Sue, she was fond of all kinds of jewelry especially turquoise all sparkle and bling. She loved fashion and was always on trend. They say dementia and alzheimer's is the “long goodbye”, Nothing is more true as the Joan that we all knew and loved said goodbye several years ago. She will be missed, but with joy remembered too.
Joan was preceded in death by her husband, Benjamin, her sons, Charles and Timmy Barnes, her mother Blanche Carney, her father Ernest Carney, grandsons Bryan and Eric Barnes.
Joan is survived by her son Glenn Barnes, grandchildren, Zachary, Andrew, and Timmy Barnes Along with great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held at 12 PM at Memorial Park Riverside Chapel
989 Riverside Dr., Gainesville, GA 30501. Funeral services at 2 PM also at the funeral home
Graveside services will follow at Lebanon Methodist Church Gillsville, Georgia
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Joan’s memory to St. Jude Children's Hospital at www.stjude.org or a charity of your choice.
Memorial Park Riverside Chapel, 989 Riverside Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501. 770-297-6200.
For online condolences www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com
For viewing on livestream
https://www.facebook.com/Memorialparknorth
