Dean Arthur Barnes

Dean Arthur Barnes entered the world on May 16, 1931 in the warm Southern California city of Long Beach. He was the third child and only son of C. Douglas and Luella Barnes. He was given the middle name of Arthur after his grandfather, Arthur Franklin Barnes. His two older sisters Helen and Phyllis doted on their little brother. Younger sister Nancy followed a few years later as a welcome addition to complete the family. He forever after told his children that his sisters treated him like royalty and that he felt very loved in his family.

One of the earliest events in Dean’s life was the 1933 Long Beach earthquake. He remembers stories of his father coming home from the barber and sweeping the family into the car to drive to a higher spot of ground to spend the night due to the threat of flooding. As a result of the earthquake and destruction of the school buildings, he attended kindergarten in a make-shift tent. When he was a child, Long Beach was still a newly developed and growing city. He spent hours roaming the neighborhood, digging holes in vacant lots, and creating his own games and adventures with his friends. In the summer, he and his friends would ride bikes or take the bus to the beach and play there all day. He never remembered his mother worrying about his whereabouts. She knew he would come home for dinner. He told stories about living through WWII, growing a Victory Garden and raising rabbits to help in the war efforts. As a youth he spent many summers in Alpine, Utah, exploring the countryside with his maternal Strong cousins.

From an early age Dean was inquisitive and interested in how things worked. He disassembled and reassembled various machines around the house. He was mechanically minded and loved to work with his hands. Once or twice he ended up creating some type of explosion that didn’t do much damage but created a bit of excitement in the family.

As a youth he attended MIA in downtown Long Beach which necessitated riding a bus to get there. Interestingly there was a cute young lady who lived around the corner who also had to take the bus to MIA. He would walk her safely home afterwards and by the time they were 15 they were holding hands. That was the beginning of an eternal companionship between Dean Barnes and LaNore Leavitt that lasted for the next 76 years.

Dean attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School where he played sports and sang in the school choir. He continued to love music throughout his life and performed in many church choirs and musical numbers with a deep bass voice that filled the room. Following high school, he attended BYU for a year and then planned to go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, this was during the Korean War. When Dean put in his papers the Church had decided they would temporarily suspend calling missionaries who were qualified for US military service. Dean waited to be drafted while attending Long Beach City College. When he was not called up, Dean and LaNore decided to get married in the Salt Lake Temple. Shortly after, however, Dean did get drafted into the US Army. He was assigned to an American base in Germany where he ran a dental clinic. While he was overseas, LaNore chose to serve in the East Central States Mission. Following their respective service, they returned to Long Beach where Dean graduated from college and taught high school industrial arts. To supplement their income, he worked as a time-and-motion study expert at Douglas aircraft. That led to a referral to do similar work for American Linen Supply which evolved into a new career. In 1955, daughter Thayne entered their home followed two years later by Lynne. Seven years after, son Cameron Dean arrived to complete the family. All three children were very loved by their parents and each other and were surrounded by a fun, hardworking, gospel-centered life. Throughout Dean’s career the family lived in Bountiful, Hawaii, Chicago, and finally settled in Uintah. While there, Dean served as a Stake President and Regional Representative. He also served as the Mission President of the Charleston, WV Mission. He loved the missionaries, West Virginia, and the opportunities to serve there. This is also where his long-time interest in wood carving blossomed into an extensive hobby he continued to pursue when he came home. He and LaNore later served as Oakland Temple Visitors’ Center Directors and for 17 years as hosts at the Joseph Smith Memorial building. Dean also served as a Stake Patriarch.  In 2002, they moved to Farmington, Utah, where they purchased and settled into their last home. They loved their neighbors, friends and ward members and were so happy to be there.

At the end of August this year, Dean’s sweetheart LaNore left this life. He missed her and felt lost without her. Just two and a half weeks later on September 18, Dean passed away. No doubt they are holding hands and rejoicing at being together again.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents, and sisters Helen McEldowney and Nancy Brindley. He is survived by his sister Phyllis Booth and his children Thayne (Craig) Orgill, Lynne (Mark) Hamp and Cameron (Elizabeth) Barnes. He and LaNore left a legacy of 12 grandchildren and 28 grandchildren.

A viewing will take place on Thursday, Sept. 22 from 6 to 8 PM at Russon Mortuary, 1941 N. Main St. Farmington, Utah.  Memorial services will be held on Friday, Sept.23 with the public viewing from 9:30 to 10:30 AM and the funeral at 11 AM in the Shepard Creek LDS ward building, 1533 N. 1075 West Farmington, Utah.  Burial will follow directly after at the Farmington City Cemetery.

The services will be streamed by the ward using the following link https://youtu.be/9L34Ry-M7p4