Rev. William Joseph Barnds, 84 of Galesburg, Illinois, died peacefully at his home on October 4, 2015.
Fr. Barnds was born on August 20, 1931, to William Paul and Ida Lou (Sterrett) Barnds in Nevada, Missouri. Education was very important to him and he earned both a bachelor’s of arts and master’s of arts from the University of Nebraska and a master’s of divinity from General Episcopal Seminary in New York City. He was ordained as a deacon in 1956 and priest in 1957. Fr. Barnds served several churches in the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska, including St. Timothy’s in Gering, where he served from 1967 until 1993. From 1993 until 1998 he served Saint Mary’s in the Highlands, Cold Spring, New York. In 1998 he was called to serve Grace Episcopal in Galesburg, where he served until his retirement in 2003. In his retirement he continued to serve as a vicar of St. John’s Preemption, Illinois. During his career, Fr. Barnds never once missed celebrating the Eucharist on a Sunday morning; this is approximately 3,016 Sundays. He served in many roles as a priest and lived to serve the church and his brothers and sisters in Christ.
His involvement extended into the community as a board member for many service and civic organizations throughout his long life as an active member of each community in which he lived. He was instrumental in the establishment of The House of Transfiguration Diocesan Retreat Center in Bayard, Nebraska, and was an influential member in establishing Northfield Villa in Scottsbluff, Neb. As a member of the Galesburg community he was a member of the Lions Club and was a board member for the Galesburg Symphony and library. More recently in his retirement he took great pride in representing his alma mater, the University Nebraska, at the inauguration of the president of Knox College. Fr. Barnds was a voracious reader, loved history, enjoyed keeping apprised of news and politics, had a very dry sense of humor and enjoyed classical and vocal music.
Fr. Barnds leaves behind his wife, Deanna (Gustafson) Barnds, with whom he celebrated 51 years of marriage this past June; along with his two children, Glenda Harlan and husband Craig of Dunlap, Illinois, their two children, Christiana and Andrea; and William Kent Barnds and wife Jennie of Davenport, Iowa, their three children, Martha, Sophie and William Benjamin. Fr. Barnds is also survived by two sisters, Virginia Albanese of Englewood, Florida and Mary Ida Garrard of Sherman, Texas, and four nieces. Fr. Barnds enjoyed family gatherings and took great pride in the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren.
A funeral for Fr. Barnds will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 10, 2015, at Grace Anglican Church, Galesburg. The service will include a celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Visitation will take place on Friday 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Home in Galesburg, and 9 to 9:45 a.m. at Grace Anglican Church, also in Galesburg, on Saturday. Fr. Barnds will be buried in Funk, Nebraska at a time yet to be determined. Memorials may be given in Fr. Barnds’ honor to St. Francis Episcopal Church in Scottsbluff, Nebraska; the Lions Club of Galesburg, Illinois; or Grace Anglican Church, Galesburg. Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com
