Cornelius Paul Barnes

Please share a memory of Cornelius to include in a keepsake book for family and friends.

View Tribute Book

Cornelius Paul “Neil” Barnes 78 of Hempfield Township suddenly passed away peacefully at home Sunday August 27, 2017. Born in New Kensington July 27, 1939 he was the son of the late Frank Barnes and Hazel Trout Barnes Keith. Cornelius had an associate degree at Penn Tech and continued at Indiana University receiving a teaching certificate. He was a veteran of the Air Force having served stateside during the Vietnam War. Cornelius taught house wiring at Washington County Vo-Tech, Westmoreland County Vo-Tech and retired from Powerex in electronic maintenance. He was a member of the Armbrust Weslyan Church where he served as an usher and a wiring and sound technician for 25 plus years. Also he was a technician for the Easter Pageant and designed and built the gazebo as well as creating the radio broadcast system for the drive in service AWC. Cornelius loved and was very passionate about computer music, and trains. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by brother John Barnes and sister Sally Dowdrick. He was the beloved husband to Gloria Exton Barnes of 58 years, and the loving father to Diana and Jack Irwin, Laurie and Keith Miller, Ed and Lorie Barnes, and Brian Barnes, 3 grandchildren John S. (Laura) Gira IV , Jenna (Jack) Cecil and Jessy Gira, and 6 great grandchildren Cora, John, Jayde, Tucker, Johanna and Jurnei, and brother Nelson Barnes and sister-in-law Nellie Fisher and cousins, nephews and nieces. Family and friends will be received Wednesday 6-8pm and Thursday 2-4 and 6-8pm in the Jay A Hoffer Funeral Home, Norvelt. His funeral service will be 11am Friday September 1, 2017 in the funeral home with Reverend Timothy Stradling and Missionary Meridith “Turtle” Trout co-officiating. Cornelius will be laid to rest in Central Cemetery, Hempfield Township.