Hattie Pennia Barnett

On August 2, 2023 Hattie Pennia Barnett made her transition from earth to heaven. Hattie would have celebrated her 105th birthday on August 15, 2023.
Hattie was the youngest child born from the union of Henry Hurdle and Hattie Billups in Gates County, North Carolina. After her parents passed away, she was raised by her aunt and uncle, Nina and Will Langston. She came to New Jersey as part of the northern migration in the early 1930's and joined her sisters Nora, Julia and Dorothy.
Hattie met and later married Harold Barnett. From this union three daughters were born and they raised two children from prior relationships. They moved from Scotch Plains, New Jersey to Plainfield when they purchased their home in 1950.
Hattie was a God fearing church going woman. She was baptized at the age of 9 years old at Lebanon Grove Baptist Church in Gatesville, NC. In 1971, she joined Community Baptist Church in North Plainfield, The Little Church by the Brook, under the pastorate of Rev. William J. Austin. She was there when Rev. Dr. James A. Robinson, Sr. became the new Pastor. Rev. Robinson and her CBC church family named her as their Church Mother, a title she held until her passing. One of her fondest memories was holding the church mortgage at the mortgage burning ceremony.
Hattie joined Standard Plastics Products in Plainfield, NJ. During the 1980's Standard Plastic Products was purchased by the Mattel Toy Company. SPP moved from Plainfield to South Plainfield and finally to Edison, New Jersey. If you ever played with Hot Wheels cars or Barbie you played with product that had plastic parts made in the Mattel South Plainfield Plant. Hattie retired from Mattel after 42 years in 1988.
She is predeceased by her husband Harold Barnett; a daughter Beatrice E. Hurdle; stepson Walter D. Barnett, Sr.; two granddaughters Keisha Barnett and Deborah L. Walls; two grandsons Michael E. Walls and Bernard Barnett; three sisters Nora Foster, Julia Russell and Dorothy Nowell; two brothers Richard and Tom Hurdle.
She leaves to cherish her memory three daughters Nora Brown, Audrey Wilson (Norman) and Julia Warren; 10 grandchildren Arielle, Larenzell, Charles, Kevin (Bea), Deena, David, Malinda, Elston, Adrian, Ryland; 55 great grandchildren; 26 great great grandchildren; 3 great great great grandchildren; her three best friends Ernestine Cisson, Doris Wade and Denise "Little Bit" Mayse.
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