Obituary

Opal Faye Barnes, 84, of Amarillo, died Friday, Jan. 12, 2007. Services were scheduled for 10 a.m. today, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007, at Paramount Baptist Church with Pastor Lance Harrington officiating. Graveside services were at 2:30 p.m. at Parklawn Memorial Gardens in Plainview. Mrs. Barnes was born July 5, 1922, to Garland Henry and Sylvia Rieff in West Fork, Ark. During her early childhood, the family moved from Arkansas to Texas. She attended school in Cotton Center. She met George Stewart Barnes in Hale Center in 1944 while he was serving in the United States Marine Corps during WWII. She and George married on Jan. 2, 1944, and they were married for more than 63 years. Their son, Richard, was born to them on Nov. 8, 1946. Mrs. Barnes' life consisted of faithfully serving in her church and lovingly caring for her family and friends. She never met a stranger and greeted others with a warm smile and handshake. She insisted on making you feel at home wherever you were. She wrote that she wanted to be remembered "for my smile and my love for other people." She was referred to as "Nana" by her grandchildren and "Nana" would not hesitate to put her family first and her needs second in order to make others feel comfortable. Mrs. Barnes is survived by her husband, George, of Amarillo; her son, Richard Barnes and wife, Karen, of Canyon; a brother, Henry Rieff of Cotton Center; four sisters, Ruby Teeter of Little Rock, Ark., Naomi Weathers of Plainview, Mildred Hammit of Hale Center and Edith Sims of Plainview; four grandchildren, Richard Barnes and wife, Tousha, of Tulia, Brenda Key and husband, Kenny, of Round Rock, Kim McDaniel and husband, Roderick, of Amarillo and Chad Farmer and fianc? Hope Lea, of Amarillo; five great-grandchildren, Kylie and Major Key of Round Rock and Ashley Farmer and Zana and Whitney Steele, all of Amarillo; and many nieces and nephews, all of whom she greatly treasured. Mrs. Barnes was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters; one brother; and three brother-in-laws.