Dr. Richard Barnes

Dr. Richard Edward Barnes, 88, of Aurora, died on November 29, 2013 at Northern Pines Medical Center in Aurora. Richard was born on April 4, 1925, to David Kennedy and Laura (Menk) Barnes of Minneapolis. After joining the United States Navy, Richard attended Gustavus Adolphus College as part of the V12 Program. One of his fondest memories was of singing the Navy Hymn in New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral along with 1,000 other graduates of the program. He served aboard the USS McConnell in the south Pacific and was honorably discharged in 1945. Richard returned to college, graduating from Macalester and the University of Minnesota Medical School. It was during those years that he met his future wife, Patricia Ann DeVaney of Hibbing, MN. They were married on September 8, 1951. Upon completion of his internship in Santa Clara County, CA, Richard and Pat moved to Aurora, MN, and started a family. Dr. Barnes opened his practice in Aurora in 1953. At that time, the Erie mining facilities were under construction and there was neither a clinic nor hospital in Aurora. His medical career in Aurora spanned 37 years. Medical politics were always of interest to Richard. He served as president of the Range Medical Society and was a delegate for many years to the Minnesota Medical Society and the AMA. He was a longtime member of Eshquaguma and the Lion’s Club and, for over 20 years, he was the treasurer and choir director of the Aurora United Methodist Church. Richard was fond of reading English history, swimming, playing tennis and side yard softball, clip-on bow ties, long walks, pets, art museums, the Minnesota Twins, dinner dance parties, and spending Januarys in Hawaii. He is survived by Pat, his wife of 63 years; Dr. Matthew (Dr. Ann Curoe) and Grace Barnes, of Plymouth, MN; Rebecca (James) Kahl, and Naomi and Micah Burland, of Spokane, WA; Sara Barnes of Aurora; David (Pamela) and Andrew and Meagan Barnes of Spokane, WA; and Martha (Frederik) and Natalie and Willem ten Sythoff, of the Netherlands; his sister, Eleanor Dahlstrom, of Reno, NV. The family would like to thank all the staff at Northern Pines for the great respect and tremendous care they showed Richard as they made him feel at home. Visitation will be 4-6pm Wednesday, Dec.4, 2013 at Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora. Funeral services will held at the Aurora United Methodist Church at 10:30 on Thursday, December 5, 2013 with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church.