John B. Barnes

August 17, 1943 – November 28, 2019

John B Barnes, a resident of Chambersburg, passed away at his home on November 28, 2019. He leaves behind his son, James Barnes, Daughter, Joanne (Barnes) Nance, and five grandsons.  He is also survived by his three sisters and their families. 

John first lived in the Chambersburg area when his father, an officer in the Army, was stationed at Letterkenny Army Depot. During his father’s tour here he graduated from Chambersburg Area Senior High.  Afterwards he completed Navy ROTC at University of Idaho, beginning a long and storied career with the United States Navy.  A veteran of the Vietnam conflict, he was a navigator on the USS Kiska, and worked extensively with after action operations in the Pacific region at the conclusion of the conflict.  He and his family lived on Guam, San Diego and around other naval facilities along the west coast, until he left the Navy to become a civil servant.

He worked in Quality Assurance for the Department of the Army for the rest of his career, moving from California to Illinois, then eventually choosing to move to Chambersburg, where he remembered the family-friendly atmosphere of his youth and settled to raise his own family.  He worked at Letterkenny until his retirement, but still not settled, he worked various jobs for many years keeping busy and helping his community, because he just enjoyed working with people.  He finally ACTUALLY retired to spend time traveling around the country in his RV with his beloved wife, Ann, in 2013

He spent his final years caring for his ailing wife, until her passing in 2017.  He truly enjoyed the company of his friends at his church, helping in the community, “puttering” around the house, taking care of his cat, and keeping in contact with his family across the country.  Fellowship, family, faith, and food were his driving forces, and defined him to all who knew him.

A Celebration of life service for John will be held on Thursday evening, December 5, 2019 in the sanctuary at Park Avenue United Methodist Church in Chambersburg, PA.  Family visitation will be at 6:30 p.m., with a short liturgy and time of sharing stories about John starting at 7:00 p.m.

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