Obit of Barnes, Matthew David - Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 14 Dec 2008 Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ===================================================================== ::NOT LISTED Barnes, Matthew David Matthew David Barnes Matthew David Barnes, son of Michael and Marcia Barnes, was born in Arcata, California, on March 6, 1977, and died suddenly from an apparent heart attack at his home in Sikeston, Missouri, on November 12th, 2006. Matt grew up in Arcata and excelled at everything he attempted. He was a top scholar at Pacific Union and Arcata High Schools. He was a champion livestock showman, and President of both Arcata Bottom 4-H and Arcata FFA, winning countless awards at the Redwood Acres and Humboldt County Fairs. While at Arcata High, Matt was a respected and decorated athlete as Captain of the championship wrestling team where he received an H-DN Star in wrestling. He was also Captain of the soccer team where he was widely acclaimed as the top goalie on the North Coast. He was a three-year varsity baseball player as well. Matt earned his degree in Agricultural Engineering from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where he remained deeply involved in the agriculture community. Matt was an Agricultural Ambassador for the College of Agriculture, member of the Rodeo Club, Society of Agriculture Engineers and the Tractor Pull team. After college Matt began his career working for the John Deere Company. Through his work with Deere, he traveled throughout the United States and has lived in Reno, Oklahoma City, and finally Sikeston, Missouri. He was known as a tireless and devoted employee who quickly rose through the ranks of company management. His co- workers at John Deere became his family away from home. Matt fanatically pursued his love of sports while playing recreation soccer and softball, coaching youth sports and following his beloved 49ers and Giants. He organized and led fantasy sports leagues and football pools with his family, friends and coworkers. Matt was an active golfer, member of the Sikeston Bootheel Golf Club, he was proudest of his hole-in-one and sub 80 scores. Matt was most recently living in Sikeston, working as a Territory Manager in Southeast Missouri. He was a member of the Sikeston Jaycees, a community service organization. Matt played an integral role in planning and executing this past year’s Sikeston Jaycees Bootheel Rodeo and PBR. Matt was glad to have found a group of great men that became his close friends. The Jaycees have decided to dedicate their annual golf tournament in Matt’s memory and the 2007 PBR will be named in his honor. As Matt chased his dreams, many of which he ultimately came to achieve, he fostered an overwhelming number of close friends and colleagues. He personally built relationships that brought together groups of people solely through his leadership, attitude and presence. He loved his friends and devoted a significant amount of his time to expanding and maintaining his close relationships with friends strewn across the country. But the only thing Matt loved more than his friends were his family. He absolutely adored time spent with his dad on hunting trips, extended conversations with his mom, being a big brother to his little sister whether she liked it or not, watching football with his grandparents, and coming home after a long trip. Matt was preceded in death by Grandfather B.J. Barnes In addition to his parents, Matt is survived by: one sister and brother-in-law Megan and Ryan Dyk of Manteca; Grandparents, Ben and Pat Spini and Viola Barnes of Arcata; Aunts and Uncles, Kathy Schuler of Umatilla OR, Sue and Dennis Hoaas and Jennie Barnes of Arcata, Pete and Ida Barnes of Medford OR, and several cousins and relatives who he loved dearly. Matt was rich with many friends who he loved like family. A special thanks to those who have supported us through this difficult time, and to “the boys,” from Arcata and his close friends in Sikeston, we couldn’t have made it through this without you! A Memorial in Matt’s honor will be held Tuesday November 21, 2006, at Franchesci Hall, Redwood Acres Fairgrounds, Eureka, CA, at 2:00 p.m. A reception will immediately follow. In lieu of flowers and gifts, donations will be accepted in an account in Matthew’s memory at the Humboldt Area Foundation. Checks should be mailed to: Matthew Barnes Memorial Fund; Humboldt Area Foundation; 373 Indianola Road, Bayside, CA 95524. Please sign the guest book www.times-standard.com, click on obituaries. Published in the Eureka Times-Standard on 11/17/2006. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html