Gordon Barnes

BARNES- Gordon Lyle Barnes, age 77 of Grand Rapids passed away Wednesday, September 17, 2014. Gordon is survived by his wife of 54 years Marlene ; their children , Deanne (Steven) Green, Colleen (David) Keith and Randall (Irene) Barnes; grandchildren, Kimberlee Green, Jessica (Mike) Troost, Katie (Bobby ) LaPorte, Gerrit Keith and Taylor Keith; and great grandchildren, Kylee and Charlotte Troost. Also surviving are his sisters; Evelyn Walker and Katie(Pete) Huizenga; brothers and sisters in law; Elaine Barnes, Marcia Barnes, Robert Serba, Rita Oppenhuizen, James (Jan) Serba, Marcel (Donna) Serba, Bernard (Marcia) Serba. Gordon proudly served in the United States Army and told many stories about his time in Germany. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting and fishing. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 am on Monday, September 22, 2014 at St. Jude's Catholic Church, 1120 4 Mile Rd. NE, Grand Rapids. His family will greet relative and friends from 4:00 to 7:00 pm on Sunday evening at Stegenga Funeral Chapel , 1601 Post Dr. NE, Belmont. Prayers of the Rosary will be recited 4 pm Sunday. Memorial contributions may be made to Heartland Hospice. To read more about Gordon's life, share a photo, memory or leave a condolences to his family please visit, www.stegengafuneralchapel.com Since my Grandpa passed away, we've spent a lot of time as a family reminiscing about all the memories we've made with him over the years and all of the important things he taught us in our lifetimes. For me, my Grandpa is the one who taught me how to swim, how to keep track of my cell phone at all times, and how to spot a robin in early spring. For others it may have been his knowledge of hunting and fishing that he passed on or his love of sports or his impeccable story telling abilities. But one thing that anybody who ever met him will always remember is his strength. I remember as a kid that every Christmas whenever my Grandpa opened up his presents from us he would cry. I never understood this as a child because I always thought that crying was a sign of sadness or weakness. As I've grown older I've discovered that this sentiment was exactly the opposite and was in fact a sign of his strength. Crying is a sign that you've got such a big heart that you aren't afraid to let others see it. And I'm sure every family, friend, and acquaintance would agree that this describes my Grandpa perfectly. He was a man that embodied the meaning of strength and had the biggest heart of anybody I've ever known. He will truly be missed, but we will never forget all of things he taught us in life - especially strength. We love you Grandpa 😊 Kimberlee For years, the riverbank was where Your soul felt most at peace Your heart was most content when there With the fish and the geese But then, your spirit came to rest Where angels chose to roam And once equipped with ten pound test You made yourself at home.   The sky became your deep blue sea The clouds became your shore And there, for all eternity You sat with friends galore Each angel was a fisherman Who had traded his pole For golden wings and a game plan At Heaven's Fishing Hole.   The tales you told about each catch Its stature and its girth Will live in memories unmatched As days pass here on earth Until we meet again, one day Upon God's golden sand We'll picture you, no other way Than with a pole in hand. © 2006 - Jill Eisnaugle's Poetry Collection To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Gordon Lyle Barnes please visit our Sympathy Store.