Donald Barnes

Donald Alfus (Barney) Barnes, 82, passed away March 18, 2011 at Altru Hospital after a short illness. Donald was born November 22, 1928 in Waterloo, Iowa. He was the only child of Walter A. and Louise (Schutt) Barnes. He was confirmed into the Lutheran Church after the death of his mother. He graduated from East Waterloo High School and worked for the printing trade all his life. Barney and his family moved to Grand Forks, ND in March, 1965. He retired from the Grand Forks Herald after 33 years, and then delivered pizza for Dominos, retiring from there last summer. Donald was drafted into the U.S. Army in January 1951, during the Korean Conflict. He served 17 months of that time in Japan and was discharged in December 1952. Donald married Ruth Wedemeier at the United Church of Christ in Denver, Iowa June 4, 1951. They are current members of Calvary Lutheran Church in Grand Forks. After his discharge from the Army they moved to Minocqua, WI. They lived in several locations that included Valley City, ND, St. Maries, Idaho, and then settled in Grand Forks in March 1965. He was an avid sportsman and he was most happy, and lived for, hunting snow and blue geese all over the state of North Dakota (he also shot down quite a few Canadian geese that were scarce in those days). He logged hundreds of thousands of miles chasing those geese (and ducks) and could tell you every square inch of North Dakota and never forgot how to get back to a certain section of land that the geese had been landing in to feed the day before. He also spent many hours trolling for walleye on several lakes and he retired to his favorite fishing hole Maple Lake, MN. Donald is preceded in death by a son, James Barnes. Survived by his wife Ruth; two daughters, Debra Ericson, Pisek, ND, and Karen Barnes Moulds (husband Duane Moulds) Fisher, MN. He had seven grandchildren, Nicole Foster-Girdler (Jason), Lake Elsinore, CA, Richard (Jennifer) Barnes, Jaime Barnes, and Elizabeth Barnes, Eric Barnes-Olson all of Grand Forks, Erin Barnes-Olson, Fisher, MN, and Matthew Wedemeier, Cedar Falls, Iowa, and 3 step-grandsons, Brandon (Christy), Luke and Casey (Emily) Moulds of Fisher, MN. There are 5 great grandsons and one great granddaughter. He has also been loved by his brothers and sisters-in-law; Roland and Lori Wedemeier, Hudson, IA, Wilbert and Grace Foelske, Waverly, IA, and Evon Wedemeier, Cedar Falls, Iowa, and many nieces and nephews. Barney was an active member of Calvary Lutheran Church and he had been a grateful member of the AA program for 25 years, recently starting a home group at his church. Ruth and Don were to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this June. Memorials may be made to Calvary Lutheran Church or the family.