Dates
Leoni Gertrude “Lee” Barnett, age 85 of San Angelo, passed away on Sunday, April 22, 2018, at Shannon Medical Center. Surrounded by her earthly children, she joined her heavenly family in a celebration of a life lived fully and in honor of Jesus Christ.
She was born to the late Herbert Werner Dabow and Emma Gertrude Dabow on December 23, 1932, in Spremberg, Germany. She and her family survived World War II and the German Third Reich. One evening, her fate was sealed when she met Lt. Colonel James Barnett, a U.S. Army Chaplain assigned to McNair Barracks, Berlin. He and his wife, Alma shared the Salvation that is Jesus Christ with her and she accepted Him as her Lord and Savior. And the story gets better.
In 1952, the Colonel’s baby brother, Tom Paul Barnett, of Haskell, joined the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and was stationed to Munich, Germany where Lee worked on the U.S. military post. The Chaplain wrote to her from Virginia and asked if she could help “Tommy” assimilate, as he had never been away from the family farm, much less to a foreign country. It didn’t take long for them to realize they were destined to be together.
Lee and Tommy were married on April 15, 1953 at Pinkerton Baptist Church, Haskell County, with the Chaplain officiating. Thus began an earthly romance of 40 years and 5 days. Together, they bore five children. She supported Tom Paul’s 35-plus years of law enforcement service to the City of Haskell, while serving the Haskell Independent School District for more than 22 years. Tom Paul passed away on April 20, 1993.
She retired from the school district in 1995, moved to Dallas, and began a 20-year mission career with SIL International / Wycliffe Bible Translation group. SIL is a U.S.-based, worldwide, Christian non-profit organization, whose main purpose is to study, develop and document languages, translate the Christian Bible into local languages, and aid minority language development. She served in the Children’s Education division, supporting numerous mission projects, and inspiring many lives around the globe through her overwhelming belief in God’s love for humankind, as evidenced in her life.
In 2008, she “retired” to San Angelo’s Rio Concho West, but continued her work with Wycliffe from a distance. Meanwhile, she found her forever home at Southland Baptist Church. She was overjoyed to spend time with Taylor, Jill, and the entire staff, the Friendship Sunday Class, the Lunch Bunch, and her many friends of Southland Baptist.
Lee is preceded in death by her husband, her parents, the Chaplain and Alma, her only sister, Johanna, one son, Tom Robert, and one daughter-in-law, Karla. She is survived by her remaining children, Gail Shea and Bob of Tuscola, Joan Adams and Recial of Abilene, Paul Barnett of Abilene, and Fred Barnett and Catherine of San Angelo, her cherished cousin Helga Reupert of Germany, and her loving niece Marion Wefeld and Jurgen of Germany. She is survived by numerous adoring grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tuscola’s First Baptist Church-New Building Fund, P.O. Box 35, Tuscola, TX 79562, to Wycliffe Bible Translators 7500 W Camp Wisdom Rd, Dallas, TX 75236, or to any charity of choice.
A 10 AM, graveside service is planned Saturday, April 28, 2018, in Haskell’s Willow Cemetery, with Jill Fulghum, Southland Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements are being provided by Harper’s Funeral Home of San Angelo.