Virginia Barney

Marie Virginia Barney had a remarkable life in many ways. During her lifetime, she was a grade school teacher, mother, missionary, home-schooler, an inveterate quilt maker, a reluctant cook, an aficionado of things Mexican, a lover of the color red, and a constant student of the Scripture. Virginia was born as Virginia Harris on June 8, 1931 in Utica, New York, where she grew up with her mother Edith Harris, and later, with an extended family called the Hellers, whose children-Merna, Olive, and Earl-became an essential part of her family life. After graduating from high school in Utica, she had a series of jobs, including clerk at Woolworths, assembly line worker at a cutlery factory, and waitress at a restaurant on the New York State Thruway. In 1952, Virginia graduated from the State University of New York Teacher's College at Oneonta with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, thus beginning her life-long career of teaching. Her favorite grades to teach were kindergarten and first grade, since she thrilled at the remarkable progress she witnessed as her students matured over the course of an academic year. While still at Oneonta, Virginia met George Barney, who was completing an associate's degree in building construction at a nearby institution, and whom she married in 1953. Her first two children, Rick and Dalene, were born in 1955 and 1957. The arrival of a third child, James-called Jimmy-who was born with leukemia, proved momentous: his illness prompted Virginia and her husband to come to the Lord, and they became determined to find a way to serve God-a decision that led to over 40 years of work in the ministry. After the birth of her second daughter, Joann, Virginia moved with the family to Waco, Texas, where George trained in the ministry and she had her youngest child, Bill, before moving again, in 1967, to Matehuala, San Luis Potosi in central Mexico to do missionary work. There she worked as equal partner with George for nearly two decades as they started churches in the remote mountain villages. During this period, after Ronalee Woods had served as tutor for Joann and Bill, she became a valued part of Virginia's extended family. In the years that followed, Virginia began traveling with George and two youngest children to visit churches throughout Mexico with an emphasis on teaching about the Holy Spirit, and later, during the 1980s and 90s, the geographic reach of their work enlarged to include Central America, the Caribbean, and Europe. Her ministry life involved home schooling, teaching children's Bible programs, training others how to be teachers, sharing in women's church gatherings, hosting sewing events for baby clothes and quilts, playing the omnichord, writing songs, and keeping the ministry office in order. In the early 1990s, Virginia and George moved to Irving, Texas as their home base, while they continued to do missionary work well into the 2000s. In 2007, they moved to Houston in order to be closer to their children, living in Clarewood House as their first residence. After George's death in 2010, Virginia took a new apartment in Assisted Living at Clarewood, where she lived until her passing. Virginia is survived by her four children Rick, Dalene, Joann, and Bill, her daughter-in-spirit Ronalee Martinez and her family, her cousin Thomas Mahar, and by members of the Heller family. They all miss very much her love, quirky sense of humor, and feisty spirit. There will be a memorial for Virginia on Wednesday, June 28 at 2 p.m. at the Clarewood House Chapel, 7400 Clarewood Drive, Houston, TX 77036 (parking on Reims Rd.). A reception will follow immediately after. Sympathy cards can be sent to: The Barney Family 7529 Summer Night Ln. Rosenberg, TX 77469. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in her honor to any of the suggestions below: Elim Fellowship (a missionary organization) ElimFellowship.org or 585-582-2790 The Clarewood House Charitable Trust - http://clarewoodhouse.com/charitable-trust.php or 713.774.5821, ext. 211 The Dementia Society of America, www.dementiasociety.org/donate or P.O. Box 600, Doylestown, PA, 18901

Service Information

June 28, 2017 2:00pm, Clarewood House Chapel

Details:

Service Extra Info A reception will follow immediately after.