Elsie Barnes

September 7, 1938 - January 26, 2017

Elsie Barnes, age 78, of Damascus, Arkansas, departed this world to claim her place in Jesus' heavenly choir on January 26, 2017. Funeral services will be held at 10:00am Monday, January 30, 2017 at Bishop-Crites Funeral Home in Greenbrier, Arkansas. Pastor Shelia Gardner will officiate. Burial at Old Salem Cemetery in Gravesville, Arkansas will follow. The family will hold a prayer service and greet friends at Bishop-Crites from 6:00pm - 8:00pm Sunday, January 29, 2017. Mrs. Barnes was born September 7, 1938 in Bay, Arkansas. She was one of ten children born to Montia Charles Turner and Margaret Evadale Collins Turner. She was united in marriage to Roy Lee Barnes on July 21, 1956 in Truman, Arkansas. They shared fifty-five years of life and love until his death on August 18, 2011. Elsie was of the Primitive Baptist faith. She was a homemaker and a singer. She will be remembered for her love of God and family, and for her angelic voice - a voice truly like no other. In addition to her husband, Elsie was preceded in death by her nine brothers and sisters, by a daughter, Diana Ward, and by a grandson, Daniel Barnes. She is survived by brother-in-law Tony Zuniga of Conway, AR, brother-in-law Wayne Barnes of Harrisburg, AR, and sister-in-law Sylvia Qualls of Jonesboro, AR. She is also survived by sons Gary (Glenda) Barnes and Matthew (Dusty) Barnes, all of Damascus, AR, son-in-law Kenneth Ward of Bee Branch, AR, and daughter Sandra (Frank) Jacobs of Phoenix, AZ. Elsie was proud grandmother to six granddaughters and six grandsons. She had 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She was treasured Aunt to many nieces and nephews across the USA. Serving as pallbearers will be Allen Barnes, Rusty Barnes, Brody Smith, Adam Leonard, Gary Harness, Paul Heather, and Forrest Birdwell. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation or to the American Heart Association.