William Lamar Barnes

GRANVILLE - Surrounded by his loving family, William Lamar Barnes, age 91 of Granville, Ohio passed away peacefully in his home on May 29, 2023.

Bill grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and moved to Ohio in the early 60s. He is preceded in death by

Parents: Grady and Cordia Barnes (Mitchell); two sisters and one brother; and four sons: Michael, Dana, David, and Dean.

Bill is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Barbara (Barb Simer), daughter Cheryl (Mike Lapp), and sons Mark Barnes and Thomas Hoprich (Jennifer), 15 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

A former Teamster union steward for Wonder Bread Baking Company (32 years), Bill had a special way of caring for his customers’ needs and making people laugh with his “southern charm” and witty “one-liners.” Bill’s hobbies included “front-porch-rocking”, which was enriched with chit-chat and storytelling; he had a treasure chest of tales. He also loved spending time with his family and dogs, as well as people-watching. Bill even enjoyed camping and often invented new words for precarious situations.

His family will always remember the “bits of wisdom - the ISMS” he bequeathed us: “Money doesn’t grow on trees.”, “Never let the gas tank get below half-tank.”, “Never park in another man’s driveway.”, “Don’t lend money to family.”, “Put it back where you found it.”, and “Never lean against a car.”

Bill and Barb have been long-time members of the Reynoldsburg Methodist Church.

To fulfill his wishes, there will be a small, private service with his wife and children in Mentor, Ohio at a future date.

Donations may be made to ECHO Hospice of Ohio or your local animal shelter.