Donna Barnhardt

1949 - 2008

Donna Klinesmith Barnhardt, who celebrated the 30th anniversary of her"29th" birthday January 11th of this year, had her young life tragically taken from her, her family and friends on June 13, 2008 at 10:14 am.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 2:00 pm at Wilmar Park Baptist Church with Bishop Jim Johnson, officiant of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints presiding as well as Rev. Donnie Tomlin. Burial will follow at Cabarrus Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 pm on Tuesday at Wilkinson Funeral Home and will be at the home of her daughter at 2280 Wishon Road, the remaining time.

Donna was born January 11, 1949 in Ocean Side, daughter of Donnell Klinesmith of LaMirda, and the late Barbara Jean Beyer Klinesmith. She was also preceded in death by twin granddaughters, Alexis and Victoria Valentine.

Growing up in California, it was common to see and interact with celebrities. Donna went to church with Red Skelton and she used to babysit for Jim Backus. He was Thurston Howell III on Gilligan's Island. She met President John Kennedy before he was a president.

Donna grew up in Paradise, graduated from Paradise High and attended her high school reunions. She joined the Navy after high school and served for three years during the Vietnam War. She was stationed at Fort Myers in Virginia, but worked through the Pentagon with Intelligence. She decoded messages that were dealing with the war. Her biggest honor while in the service was when she graduated first in her class at radiomen school. This was a major accomplishment for her because there were 65 men and only two women in school. To receive good grades or good behavior was a big thing to her, because she got to go raise the flag up each morning. She was stationed next to Arlington Cemetery and it was awesome to her to go out there each week and hear the music and experience the feel of seeing all those white grave stones. After her stint in the service, she moved to Concord with her husband at the time, Preston Barnhardt. She lived there for 39 years. She attended UNCC and obtained a degree in Sociology. She has taught at Central Cabarrus and Northwest High Schools. Donna ran a children's store for a while and she ran a doughnut machine in Monroe on the weekends. She also ran the scoreboard at Charlotte Motor Speedway for awhile. She was currently an office manager with Sun-Drop and had been there for 18 years. She loved to travel to the ocean or across it, as long as it was with her family and or friends. Donna was also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

To Donna, her three children were her greatest accomplishments. In addition to her father, survivors include her daughter, Rebecca Valentine and husband, Rick; sons, Shawn Barnhardt and Seth Barnhardt and his wife, Marcie, all of Concord; grandchildren, Avery and Abigail Valentine, Isabelle and Carson Barnhardt and Kasey Barnhardt; a sister, Chris Klinesmith and brothers, Duke Klinesmith and wife, Kate of Lodi, CA and John Klinesmith.

Memorials may be made to Memorial and Honor Program St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN. 38105-1942.

Condolences may be left at www.wilkinsonfuneralhome.com

Wilkinson Funeral Home is handling arrangements for the Barnhardt family.

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