Palestine High School Alumni Association

02 / 28 / 1930  –  08 / 06 / 2004

On August the sixth, 2004, Heaven received a faithful servant with the passing of Bill Barnett. A home-going celebration for his life will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Burks Walker Tippit Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Pat Alvey and Dr. Paul Powell officiating. Burial will follow in Cathedral in the Pines Cemetery under the direction of Burks Walker Tippit Funeral Directors. Pallbearers will be Duke Turner, James “Pete” Turner, Laird Lucas, David Mitchell, Dennis Ortega and Truman Riley. Honorary pallbearers will be Matthew Lucas and Craig Turner.

Billy Ray was born February 28, 1930, in Jacksonville, Texas to the late Carl W. and Tressie Gammon Barnett.

He was a graduate of Palestine High School and received his Bachelor of Arts from East Texas Baptist College in Marshall and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He has pastored churches in Marion, Cass, Fannin, Anderson and Smith counties, with his most recent being at Noonday Baptist Church.

He also served on the Executive Board of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and in various capacities with the Smith County Baptist Association.

Bill was a counselor with the State Commission for the Blind in the East Texas Region and was past director of the Way of Life Halfway House. He was an avid golfer and also trained and showed horses in Western Pleasure for many years.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Jo Carolyn Turner Barnett of Tyler; sons and daughter-in-law, John and Sandy Barnett of Tyler and Jeff Barnett of Austin; daughter and son-in-law, Tina Barnett and Laird Lucas of Boise, Idaho; grandchildren, Matthew and Amaya Lucas, Lucas and Turner Barnett.

His brothers, Donald Wayne and Glenn Royce and sister, Carlene Moore precede him in death.

Family will received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, 75701.

Palestine Herald-Press Aug 7, 2004