James Edsel Barnes was born at the home of his grandfather, Charles F. Kater, Grant City, Missouri February 22, 1922. He was the son of James Wesley Barnes and Bessie Faye Kater.  The family moved to Albany shortly after his birth.  He passed away in Houston, Texas January 7, 2018.

Jim was a member of the Albany First Baptist Church.  After graduating from Albany High School in 1939, he was employed by the Gentry County Bank and was a member of the Athens Lodge #127, A.F. & A.M. of Albany, Missouri.

He entered the U.S. Army in 1942 serving in Field Artillery during World War II, Aleutian Islands and Central Europe.  After the war, Jim's life began at the University of Missouri in Columbia.  He was a member and president of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity of which he enjoyed and talked about the rest of his life.  Jim had many friends who went to MU (Class of 1950) and corresponded with them throughout the years.  He moved to Texas and was employed with Texaco Sales, a member of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club, where he enjoyed meeting and greeting special guests.  Ultimately, Jim retired from Brooks Brothers in Houston.  He traveled extensively but called Texas his home.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Oleta Crabtree, Lorraine Black, Edith Stamp and Leah Lindgren.

He is survived by nieces, Carolyn Crabtree Hall, Penny Stamp Evans, Mitzi Crabtree Maddux and other relatives and friends. The family would like to thank his friend Ruth Ann Homan and family for their cards and letters for many, many years.  He liked to keep track of the sports activities in his hometown and Columbia.