Roy Glen Barnes

Roy Glenn Barnes left this world on Thursday, November 13th, 2025, surrounded by family who loved him tremendously. He was 98 years old.

Roy was born in Cincinnati to Oley and Lola Barnes two days after Christmas in 1926. In short order, his family moved to The Millerfield Community in Central Kentucky. In addition to minimal schooling and constant chores, Roy spent his youth shooting marbles, roaming the countryside with his dog, Ring, and shooting pool in Columbia, the closest town with a pool hall. Though Roy left the country at 14 years old to find work, he kept fond memories of his family, friends, and pets close to his heart. Roy returned often to Central Kentucky to visit friends, attend church, and to tend the graves of the departed. Roy had six siblings: Dorothy, Imogene, Jewel, Edna, Charles, and Maxine.

Roy’s story is recounted in detail in his 2004 autobiography, “From Slingshots and Marbles to Bottom Lines.” Roy enjoyed writing and considered it an important personal skill, among many he cultivated throughout his life. He took his word choices very seriously, and he would pour a lot of effort into crafting every page.

After having had many different jobs, Roy began working for Dan Sable in Louisville, manufacturing batteries for submarines. Early in the 1940s, Roy was drafted into The US Navy, and he served honorably as a SeaBee in The Pacific during World War II. His military service opened his eyes to new worlds beyond his Kentucky home.

Here are a few sentences directly from Roy on his military service and return:

I was drafted into the Navy SeaBees. I trained at Great Lakes Naval Base. After training, I ended up on the island of Kwajalein, which is part of The Marshall Islands in The South Pacific. I remained there until the war ended.

I was discharged at Great Lakes Naval Base, came home to Louisville, and married my sweetheart, Phyllis Dunn. We were married 67 years when she left me for Heaven in 2013.

The couple’s first home was on Mark Trail in Louisville’s East End, and they attended Walnut Street Baptist Church in Old Louisville, where Roy was a deacon. They both sang in the choir and taught Sunday School for decades. Three of their children, Larry, Jenny, and Nancy, also grew up at Walnut Street and attended Louisville schools. Phillip, another son, died in infancy and is buried in The Millerfield.

Roy was always striving for success in any of his many endeavors. His work history is vast. In the 1950s, he founded a battery company of his own, often working late into the night out of his garage. Also during that time, he was a mechanic for The Louisville Transit Company (now TARC), and he owned and managed an apartment building. By the 1970s, he owned a local laundromat and dry cleaner chain, Norge Village, where he and his family worked daily.

In the 1970s, Roy went to work for Convenient Food Mart with his eyes on management. He was certain that working for a big corporation would help him achieve the American dream he was so steadily chasing. He showed up to his first day of work in a shirt and tie, ready for anything. He often recounted his hopefulness and sense of satisfaction that day as he swept the parking lot in the summer sun, positive that he had made the right decision and was on the way to a satisfying career.

During this time, Roy also began painting with oil on canvas, a hobby he continued into his 80s. He sold his paintings at a booth during The St. James Art Fair for many years, and his realistic style took its subjects from the natural world and important memories. Prints of his favorite work, “The Church at Winchester Point," have been disseminated across the world.

By the mid 1970s, Roy was a regional manager for Convenient stores in Kentucky. He was promoted to vice president and sent to clean up a struggling region around Tampa, Florida. Roy and Phyllis spent five years in Clearwater, but they always wanted to return to Kentucky. Roy was first transferred to Lexington, and then eventually back to his Louisville home, where he worked until he retired from what was then called “Dairymart” in the early 2000s. Roy loved going to work, which took him weekly to stores across Kentucky and Southern Indiana. He enjoyed meeting and working with a large number of people across the state and getting to know their stories. Roy always had a story and strong personal pride, both of which he readily shared with others.

Just before Roy’s retirement, Phyllis’s illness began to require constant care at home. Roy shifted his focus to providing her care, which absorbed his time and focus until her death in 2013. He has missed her every day since, and those close to him know how excited he was to reunite with her in Heaven.

In Roy’s later years, he attended Westport Road Baptist Church, where he found a second family of loving and caring friends. He remained active at Westport Road Baptist until the very end of his life, and he regularly participated in many joy-filled activities there.

In his 80s, Roy went to work as a delivery driver for NAPA Auto Parts. At NAPA, Roy got to spend time doing a few things he truly enjoyed: Getting out into the community, meeting people, and helping them with their projects. These sentiments prompted Roy to join The Meals on Wheels team, as well. On his meal deliveries, Roy would spend time with those to whom he delivered, learning their stories and attempting to brighten their days. He always lit up when he talked about his work with Meals on Wheels, which he continued until The Pandemic temporarily shut down their operations. Roy kept meticulous records of his activities, and he reported over 2000 meals delivered through this program. If you are moved to donate in Roy’s name, please consider making your donation to support a Meals on Wheels organization in Louisville (link will be inserted)

Roy’s independent, active, and service-oriented lifestyle earned him a UofL Trager Institute Gold Standard of Optimal Aging Award in 2020.

Roy was a lifelong dog lover, and his home was almost always home to a dog, many of whom were named, “Peri.” His dogs were members of his family, and he loved their company. He also loved to feed the birds in his yard. If you connect with Roy on a love of pets, and if you feel moved to donate in his honor, please donate in his name to The Kentucky Humane Society (link will be inserted.)

Roy played pool his whole life. He favorite game was straight pool, and he thought it was important that players call their shots. Starting in his 90s, he played on Fridays at The Fox Den in St. Matthews, where he made more friends and where he nearly always won the week’s pool games.

The way Roy played pool was an explicit reflection of many ideals that he held dear. He believed in a life of skill development, however humble, and that personal excellence and improvement were something to be constantly cultivated. He believed in being tested; win or lose, he learned something useful from the time spent on the attempt. Roy believed in personal integrity, and he didn’t want any unfair advantages, no matter what rewards those might convey. These ideas were core to his personal philosophy and his faith journey.

Roy will be laid to rest in Evergreen Cemetery, alongside Phyllis, surrounded by departed family. A tree shades his plot much of the year, and it’s a nice place to reflect. Roy hopes you’ll stop by often, following his model, to reflect on the passing of time and the importance of family.

Roy is survived by his daughters, Jenny Fleming and Nancy Morris. Larry, Roy’s adult son, was married to Mary Barnes; he died in 2022, and he left one son, Brian. He and Mith Barnes have one son, Iain.

Jenny is married to Ron Kristo, and she has two children with James Fleming. Maurice Lone Wolf is Jenny’s son, and he is married to Dominique James. They have one son, Josiah. Livvy Fleming Timmons is Jenny’s daughter, and she has four children: Reed, Violet, Teddy, and Charlie.

Nancy’s partner is Phyllis Sosa, and Jessica is her daughter.

Visitation will be from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Sunday, November 23, 2025 at Newcomer Cremations, Funerals & Receptions (235 Juneau Drive Louisville, KY 40243) and from 9:00 am to 11:00 am on Monday, November 24, 2025 at Westport Road Baptist Church ( 9705 Westport Rd, Louisville, KY 40241). A funeral ceremony will take place at the church on Monday at 11:00 am with private burial following at Evergreen Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in Roy's memory may be made to the Kentucky Humane Society or Meals on Wheels through Highlands Community Services. 

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