Barnard, Kenneth A.

February 28, 1937 August 9, 2016 (79) Ken Barnard, “Unit One”, a resident of Moriarty, NM, passed away on Tuesday August 9, 2016. Ken was born at his grandfather’s house in Maywood, New Jersey and was an only child. He was very independent, as evidenced by acquiring his first job at the young age of 14, working for $.35 per hour at a manufacturing operation in New Jersey. He was drafted into the Army and spent six years serving his country.

Among other jobs, Ken worked for a machine shop, drove an ambulance, sold industrial diamonds, and drove a New Jersey Transit bus for 30 years. He also did home remodeling on the side. Ken’s most recent employment was at Tillery Chevrolet GMC in Moriarty as parts delivery driver. Ken recently celebrated 20 years at Tillery, and the staff considered Ken not as just a fellow staff member, but as one of the family. Ken’s military background taught him discipline, and he incorporated that into his job at Tillery. Most of the staff, and many of his delivery contacts, knew him as “Unit One”, a title he bestowed on himself as the one and only parts driver Tillery employed.

Ken’s most loved hobby was model trains since the age of 13, and he was referred to as a “master train modeler”. He was a member of the National Railway Historical Society, the U.S. Southwest Soaring Museum, the Maritime Museum in San Diego, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Ken is survived by his four children Jenice Lasky, Juanita Leuffgen, Debra Rohlfs, John Barnard and eight grandchildren, predeceased by his granddaughter Nicole Rohlfs.

At Ken’s request, no memorial services will be held as his family has honored his wishes to donate his body to UNM Maxwell Museum of Anthropology.