Obituary of Bill Barney

Glens Falls: The Rev. Bill Barney, 66, of Glens Falls, passed away peacefully, Wednesday morning, December 22, 2010 at his home surrounded by his loving family and friends. Bill was born on January 21, 1944 to the late Edith Lamb Barney, R.N. and Friend Ezra “Bud” Barney of Waterbury, Vermont. His paternal grandparents were Don Carlos and Ida Jane (Morse) Barney of North Duxbury and the Little River Valley. Maternal grandparents were Frank C. and Caroline (Carpenter) Lamb of Waterbury. Proudly educated in Waterbury Schools, Bill was a member of the Waterbury High School class of 1962. (His proudest educational achievement). In 1966 he graduated from the University of Vermont and in 1970 received the Master of Theology degree from Boston University. In 1971 he was ordained an Elder in the Troy Conference of the United Methodist Church (regional conference of northeastern New York and all of Vermont). He enjoyed every one of his early life jobs that prepared him for a lifetime of connecting with people in positive ways. These included being a bowling pin setter (at age 10), lawn mowing on Union Street, paper boy, lifeguard at the Waterbury Pool, Water Safety Supervisor for the Vt. Department of Forests and Parks, Director of Buck Lake Camp in Woodbury for The Vermont Ecumenical Council, dorm parent at Mt. Ida Junior College in Newton, MA, where he was also the night Librarian, student pastor at Ponkapoag Chapel in Canton, MA. and Chaplain at the Grand Canyon – North Rim, for the National Council of Churches. In 1968 he married Lynda G. Joslyn at Woodbury, VT. They have two children born in 1971, Joy Angela and Stephanie Dawn. In October 1979 he married the love of his life, Brenda J. Arley, R.N in Rutland, VT. They have been soul mates for the last 31 years. Bill wishes to honor his spouses and children for all they did to allow him to be involved in ministry, while acknowledging he spent far too much time “on the job”. He also leaves special love and thanks for Brenda’s phenomenal care-giving in the last months. In 1971, Bill’s first clergy appointment was as Pastor of the Lyndonville, Vt. United Methodist Church serving until 1975. From 1975 to 1978 his appointments included the Winooski United Methodist Church and as Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church, Burlington. He was appointed to the Rutland United Methodist Church in 1978 and served there for 14 years. In 1992 he left Vermont for the first time to serve Christ Church, Glens Falls for six years. In 1998 Bishop Susan Murch Morrison appointed Bill as District Superintendent of the Albany District providing supervision for about 75 pastors and churches. After eight years he became Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Schenectady, serving three years until his full retirement in 2009. During his last three appointments he maintained his residence in Glens Falls. During his clergy career Bill was always involved in the community. His involvements included, member of the Lyndonville Rotary Club, member and President of the Burlington Kiwanis Club, Member and President of the Rutland Lions Club and Vermont State Chaplain for Lions, President of Rutland Mental Health, Rutland Dismas House Board of Directors, elected member of the Rutland School Board, Coordinator of the Vermont Family Court Guardian Ad Litem Program. In Glens Falls Bill served on the Family Services Agency Board of Directors, and as member and President of the Glens Falls Lions Club. He was a proud Lion of 32 years. Bill was an active participant in the Troy Conference and general United Methodist Church. For the first nine years of his ministry he was Conference Youth Coordinator becoming an adult member of The United Methodist on Youth Ministry. Throughout his ministry he was an organizer on behalf of those marginalized, particularly within The United Methodist Church. He never met an “ism” he did not take on. In 1992, 1996, and 2004 he was elected as a delegate to the General Conference of The United Methodist Church becoming an 8-year member of the Commission planning that event. At the time of his death he was participating in the planning of the next event in Tampa FL 2012. Bill also served an 8-year term on the General Board of Church and Society in Washington, DC. Through his life’s work he also felt privileged to travel to and develop mutual relationships with people in Mozambique, Nicaragua and Cuba Bill is survived by his wife, Brenda Arley, his daughter, Joy Barney Baird and her husband, Ershwin of Columbia, MD and his daughter Stephanie Barney Madrigal and her husband, Arle and their two children, Celia and Diego, of Silver Spring, MD. As well he is survived by his Mozambican family of the heart, the Quissico family residing in New York City. He is also survived by his brother, Steve Barney of North Carolina and his sister, Jane Barbour along with several nieces and nephews. There will be no traditional Christian services of prayer, hymns and scripture. Identical gatherings welcoming friends, family, colleagues and neighbors will be held at Christ Church, Glens Falls and Wesley United Methodist Church, Waterbury, VT. An announcement of these “Celebrations of Living and Loving Fully” will be forthcoming in a few weeks. Bill wishes to express gratitude to his doctor, John Stoutenburg, and all the personnel at the Glens Falls Hospital that provided him with competent, compassionate care during his illness. The omission of flowers is requested. In lieu of flowers gifts may be made payable to Christ Church, 54 Bay Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801 to be distributed equally between the local American Red Cross Blood Donor Program and Feet First, a local program to provide annual new shoes for school children which Bill co-founded in the 1990’s. Final interment of ashes will take place in the Barney family plot at Graves Cemetery, in Duxbury, VT near Waterbury at the convenience of the family. Please visit www.alexanderfh.net for online guestbook and condolences.