Daniel Barnes

Daniel Allen Barnes, born May 16, 1957, passed to eternal care of our Savior December 28, 2025.

Daniel was adopted as an infant by Samuel and Barbara Barnes. He spent the early part of his life in El Centro, CA until age six when his father passed. Afterwards, he moved with his mother and sister to Long Beach, CA.

In 1965, he was baptized in a Lutheran church in Long Beach. During junior high school, Daniel was baptized again at Bethany Baptist Church in Long Beach CA. In 1970 his mother married William Davis, who became Daniel's stepfather until his passing. Daniel graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1975 and in in the fall began attending Long Beach City College.

On December 24,1975, Daniel married Kathleen at Bethany Baptist Church. They were later divorced.

During a backpacking trip in October of 1978, Daniel experienced a life-changing accident which left him a quadriplegic.

Before he was paralyzed, Daniel bodysurfed, swam competitively and played water polo in high school. He was an avid outdoorsman and spent much of his time back packing and rock climbing. He volunteered in high school at the Veterans Administration hospital as an orderly and continued to work as an orderly at St Mary's Hospital in Long Beach while attending Long Beach City College.

After the accident, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, and a Master of Science in Health Psycho-Biology from the University of California, San Francisco in the 1980's.

He founded and directed a non-profit company, from which he counseled AIDS patients and partnered with retreats to include work with the Dali Lama. He was interested in conscious living and dying and studied with Stephen and Ondrea Levene. Daniel was a man with broad interests, and he contributed to many people via retreats and counseling. Daniel had a dry quick wit his entire life. He was brilliant at developing successful companies that helped thousands of people and saved cities/counties significant tax-payer dollars.

After the accident, Daniel identified as a Buddhist. But in the last years of his life, Daniel returned to the Christian faith of his youth.

Daniel was a wonderful, extra-ordinary brother who encouraged Marisa and others to get excited about learning of travel, history, religions, and politics; he always pointing out new things. Marisa learned patience, and the joy of being physically and mentally able to take care of him, which enabled him to visit her and her family in Long Beach and even Idaho.

Because of Daniel's interest in others, he made friends and acquaintances easily. An attentive listener, people did not seem to give a great deal of attention to his wheelchair existence, often attracted by his peaceful personality, wit, intelligence, kindness, beaming smile and animated hands and arms when he talked.

In 2006, when Roxana came to care for him, Daniel became a family man at age 48.

With careful attention to the wellbeing of each of the four children he had just met, Daniel challenged and encouraged Joshua, Chloe, Hannah, and Samuel. His relentless pursuit of them was a very big part of shaping their young lives. By demonstrating courage and perseverance despite his own hardships, and by sharing Godly wisdom, Daniel strove to prepare them for their life in the future.

Though Daniel wandered, God... in His abiding love and infinite grace, empowered Daniel to love and lead the family He provided. Proverbs 2:6 "For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

Daniel was preceded in death by his adored beloved mother Barbara Barnes and his adored father Samuel Barnes.

Daniel's sister, Marisa, nephews Shaun and Ryan, "Cousins" Glenda and Betsy Barnes, the wife of his youth, Kathleen, Joshua, Chloe, Hannah, Samuel and Roxana, join in gratitude for God's gift of His son Daniel.

A Funeral Service was held on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 10:00AM, followed by a Graveside Service, both at the Columbia River District, Old German Baptist Brethren Church, New Conference, Pasco, WA.