Into your hands, O merciful Saviour, we commend your servant.
We give thanks for the life of Ronald Leslie Barnes, Priest, and are grateful for his ministry in our diocese and in the Anglican Church of Canada.
Ron died suddenly on Saturday, June 10.
Ron is survived by his wife Beverley, four children, fifteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; Catherine (Michael Seaman), Amy, Graeme, Paul, Beth; Heather (William Morel), Peter (Shae), Nicholas, Emma; Bonnie (Glen Tracey), Shannon (Marc Edgett) children: Jack & Finnick, Brandon (Sara), Caitlin; and Charles (Becky), Devon, Hailey, Steven, Sarah, Kassie and fostered Pablo Sharpe.
Ron was born in Toronto, September 30, 1934. Graduating from the University of Toronto in 1956 with a BA (Hons), he then attended Trinity College at U of T where he obtained an LTh and STB. Prior to ordination he worked in the Engineering Department of Bell Telephone. From 1995 to 1997 Ron attended United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio where his DMin thesis was on “Computer Communication in the Church”.
Ron was ordained to the diaconate May 8, 1960, and to the priesthood February 22, 1961, in the Diocese of Algoma. He served in Algoma as deacon at Sturgeon Falls, and as priest at St. John, North Bay and St. Savior, Blind River in the early 1960s. Ron came to the Diocese of New Westminster from the Diocese of Algoma in 1969. He was inducted as Rector of St. Barnabas, New Westminster in November 1969 and served there until 1975 when he became Incumbent of St. Clement, Lynn Valley. In 1988, he was appointed Rector, St John the Apostle, Port Moody. In 2000, he undertook a brief appointment as Priest-in-Charge of All Saints, Agassiz. Ron also served as interim Senior Port Chaplain at the Mission to Seafarers. After retiring, Ron moved to Kelowna in 2005. He spent three years in the Diocese of San Diego (TEC, USA) as Priest-in-charge of the parish of El Centro. His last appointment was as interim priest at St. George, Maple Ridge 2013. Despite living in Kelowna Ron was always available for Sunday Supply in this diocese, often parking his RV in the church lot.
Ron had a diverse ministry beyond the parish. He did media work at CKNW and was the Editor of Topic. He had a special interest in marriage preparation programmes, and prepared a marriage preparation manual for the diocese. He was active in the Cursillo Movement. Camp Artaban and teaching sailing were other interests, and he was Chaplain to the West Vancouver Yacht Club. Ron was a computer communication pioneer in the Diocese of New Westminster, establishing the NWnet system in late 1990s. He went on to assist 14 dioceses with communications systems, and taught computer communication to bishops at Lambeth. He was Chair of the diocesan Evangelism Committee from 1984 to 1987, and Clerical Secretary of Diocesan Synod from 1990 to 1999. Ron was also a member of the Order of St Luke and an associate of the Order of Holy Cross. He also volunteered at the Kelowna Gospel Mission.
Ron’s Memorial Service will be at St. Andrew, Kelowna (4619 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna) on Wednesday, June 28 at 2pm. His ashes will be placed at St. Clement, Lynn Valley at a later date.
You can view the ceremony live or on replay at https://funeraweb.tv/en/diffusions/76215.
The ceremony will be available to all without a password.
IMAGE
The Reverend Fr. Ron Barnes, December of 2019
Photo: Randy Murray