8/9/2019 Remembering the Best Mom Ever

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It was at this time

last year that we lost

our mother, Leanna

Barnes. In her 86

years, Mom played

many parts Illinois

farm girl, only child,

wife of a returningwar veteran, eastside

housewife, mother of

seven children, grand-

mother to thirteen and

great-grandma to one.

Growing up in rural

Jasper County, Illi-

nois, Leanna came toIndianapolis to live

with her aunt and

uncle as a young adult. Work-

ing as a secretary for the Ohio

Oil Company (later to become

Marathon) she was introduced

to Edwin P. Barnes, an Irving-

ton resident who had recentlyreturned home from World

War II service aboard the

Coast Guard Cutter USCGC

Campbell. A whirlwind ro-

mance ensued, and they were

soon married.

Weve often joked that if you

looked up Baby Boomers in

the dictionary, you would nd

a picture of the Barnes family.

Seven children were born in

the rst thirteen years of their

marriage six boys in

a row and then, nally, a

girl, all growing up at 936

North Arlington Avenue.

Although Dad was the

disciplinarian who kept us

all in line, Mom was the

gentle heart who stayed

at home as we grew up,

cooked for us and the

neighbor kids when wewalked home for lunch

from School #77 each day,

and managed to tutor and

supervise all of us as we

completed our homework and,

eventually, our schooling.

We learned many lessons

from Mom. Although Dad

often teased that she was just

a simple farm girl (he used

to say you can take the girlout of the country but you

couldnt take the country out

of the girl), her Primitive

Baptist rural upbringing in-

stilled in her a strong, simple

faith that was profound in its

simplicity. Slowly and care-

fully, she taught each of us by

setting the example. We can

still remember her walking

St. Joseph, Sheridan and 9th

streets collecting money for

the American Cancer Society

and often taking one of us with

her. There wasnt a strong his-

tory of problems with cancer

in our family but Mom would

just say we are fortunate

and there are plenty of peoplewho need our help and she

would leave it at that.

Mom survived Dads death

from heart disease in 1987 and

bravely went on living her life.

Although she was able to live

semi-independently for sev-

eral years, in 1999 a number

of illnesses, including Parkin-

sons disease, robbed her of

the ability to walk.

For the last ten years of her

life she adapted to life at

the Altenheim Nursing

Home in Beech Grove.There she spent a good

deal of her time helping

the staff keep an eye on

the other patients. A stroke

in late April led to a quick

decline and her death on

May 11th, 2009.

We will never forget youMom, and all the things

you taught us. We are for-

ever in your debt

Remembering the Best Mom EverLeanna Grace (Parr) Barnes 1923 2009

by Kathy Barnes

Bryan and State Rep.

John Barnes

Paid for and authorized by The Committee to Elect John Barnes

A typical Baby Boomer family; The Barnes circa 1961 (L-R, front row) John,

Kathy, Tom, and Jim. (Middle) Leanna and Ed, (L-R, back row) Bill, Bob, Dick.

Business Advertorial

Now & Then...

Kathy Barnes Bryan and State Rep. John Barnes