Sharon Ruth Barnes

Sharon Barnes of Groesbeck passed away Wednesday March 31, 2010 at Limestone Medical Center. She was 63. Visitation will be held from 6:00 - 8:00 PM, Thursday, April 1, 2010, at the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be held 2:00 PM, Friday, April 2, 2010, at the GROESBECK HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM. Rev.Clayton Griggs and Rev. Tracy Sims will officiate. Burial will follow at Faulkenberry Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Greg Barnes, Dorman Caviness, Ronnie Stewart, Tom Thompson, Harvey Fredriksson, Dan Collins, Bill Avant, Joe McLean, Paul Fitte, Rufus Oliver, and Henry Kelly. Sharon was born June 18, 1946, to Edward R. Kilgore and Thelma Cohen Kilgore in Waco. She grew up in Groesbeck and has been married to Jim Barnes for the past 45 years. They have one daughter, Amy Barnes. Sharon loved her family and loved life. She had a strong faith in her Lord Jesus, which could be seen as she lived with cancer over the last 8 ½ years. She never let it get her down and was determined to enjoy life. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Groesbeck, where she has been a Sunday School teacher, Vacation Bible School teacher, and in the choir for many years. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Baylor University, and also did graduate work there. She taught home economics at Groesbeck High School where she touched the lives of many students, not only teaching them academics, but teaching them how to be better people. In 1998 she retired from teaching and became Executive Director of Groesbeck Economic Development Corporation. As the Executive Director of the EDC, Sharon shared her passion and vision for Groesbeck with everyone she saw. She was instrumental in much of the improvements and activities that Groesbeck has seen over the last 10 years. Some of her pet projects included the Downtown Streetscape Project, Hawkins Park, 4th of July Celebrations, Fall Family Frolics, just to name a few. She also served on various boards and councils to ensure the continued success of local education and development. She has been an active member of the Groesbeck Study Club where she has held various offices and helped develop the Academic Awards Program. She served as president of the Texas Brazos Trail Region Board of Directors, served on the Board of Directors of the Region XII Education Service Center, has been treasurer of the Groesbeck Chamber of Commerce, and secretary of The Lord’s Storehouse Board of Directors. Sharon was preceded in death by her mother and father; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Huey and Mary Earl Barnes; brother-in-law, Michael Hardison; and sister-in-law, Frances Jo Garrett. She is survived by her husband, James Huey (Jim) Barnes, Jr. of Groesbeck; daughter, Amy Barnes of Groesbeck; brother, Edward Kilgore and wife Kathy of Lewisville; sister, Linda Zeigler and husband John of Tyler; sister-in-law, Lea Hardison of Groesbeck; brother-in-law, Greg Barnes and wife Marie of Groesbeck; nieces, Beth Myers of Groesbeck, Heidi Zeigler of Mexico City, Mexico, Jennifer Brooks of Norfolk, NB, Julie Garrett of Groesbeck, Lisa Kilgore of Carrollton, Alyson Shirley of Lewisville, Tonya Schumacher of Benbrook, Jamie Turner of Fort Worth; and nephews Kent Vogel of Wortham, Sean Zeigler of Denton, and Robbie Garrett of Groesbeck.