James D. Barnett III
The family will hold a private graveside service at the Osborne Cemetery in St. Joe and will plan a memorial service at a later date.
James D. Barnett III, 81, of Little Rock, passed away Sunday, March 29 (2020).
He was born on July 12, 1938, near Tahlequah, Oklahoma, to James D. Barnett Jr. and Allene Hazel (Smith) Barnett. Despite his Oklahoma birthplace, he was a son of Searcy County, where his ancestors had farmed and lived and taught school for almost a century before he was born.
Jim’s parents raised him to be a good and honorable man who valued education, hard work, and honest dealing. He was a loving husband and father and a devoted grandad. He delighted in his grandchildren and was immensely proud of who they were. He was a regular at school events, ball games, church performances, and anywhere else one of them had a chance to shine. Cousin time in Grandad’s big backyard was the highlight of every family gathering where it didn’t rain. Whatever the game – baseball, chess, dress-up – he was ready to play. And he always shared his french fries, even when he wasn’t asked nicely.
Jim grew up in St. Joe, part of a large extended family of Barnetts and Smiths, and moved to Valley Springs in the early 1950s. He graduated from Valley Springs High School in 1956 and went on to earn degrees in civil engineering from Arkansas Tech, the University of Arkansas and Texas A&M. He moved to Little Rock after college, but maintained strong ties to his two hometowns. He loved attending Valley Springs High School reunions with his lifelong friend Jim Morris, and he never missed Decoration Day at the Osborne Cemetery in St. Joe.
Jim spent his entire 41-year career as a civil engineer with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, retiring in 2002 as the state maintenance engineer and head of the Maintenance Division. He knew every state highway in Arkansas, and never had to consult a map to tell you the quickest route to anywhere you wanted to go. He was inducted into the Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineers in 2001.
In the fall of 1964, a friend of his told him about her pretty new roommate Jan, and Jim went right over to meet her. He went back again and again, he said, and pretty soon he knew the way. They married on March 20, 1965 – easily the smartest decision either one of them ever made. They were married until Jan’s death on New Year’s Eve, 2010.
After his grandkids, Jim loved golf, his church, reading about history, and spending time with Mr. Morris. His foursome of golfing buddies, the Friends in Faith Sunday school class at Trinity United Methodist Church, and visits with Mr. Morris were constants for decades, and his children are grateful for their love and support through the years.
We would also like to express our appreciation for his friends and caregivers at Parkway Village, to the caregivers at House of 3 and Kindred Hospice, and to Katibel Johnson, who brought joy to his life and remained a steadfast and devoted friend through his final days.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jan; and two sisters, Judith Ann Campbell and Charlotte Jean Barnett.
Jim is survived by his children, Jay Barnett (Kari), Jennifer Barnett Reed (Matt) and Jill Barnett Sorrows; grandchildren, Jaden Atkins (Michael Bandemer), Grace and Alex Barnett, Ashlyn and Drew Sorrows, and Jack and Georgia Reed; nephew, Al Campbell (Janae) and nieces, Karen Campbell and Statia Smith; and brothers-in-law, John Campbell, Forrest Smith and Les Smith.
The family will hold a private graveside service at the Osborne Cemetery in St. Joe and will plan a memorial service at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church (1101 North Mississippi Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72207) or to the JD Barnett Legacy Leader Scholarship Fund care of the Valley Springs Foundation (P.O. Box 640, Valley Springs, AR 72682).
Please share your memories of Jim at www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal .
