Reba Barnes

Reba W. Barnes June 22, 1928 - August 1, 2014 Obituary

Statesboro, Ga.

Reba Wood Barnes, age 86, died Friday, August 1st at Ogeechee Area Hospice. Reba was born in Jonesboro, Georgia in 1928. Growing up in East Point near Atlanta, Reba was a bright student and star of her basketball team at Russell High School. While Attending Georgia Southern College in Statesboro, GA, she met and married E. W. "Buddy" Barnes, and, in time, became the mother of four. Upon graduating from Georgia Southern College, Reba taught English, shorthand and typing in Stilson, Ga.

After the birth of her third child, Reba returned to Georgia Southern as a graduate student and art instructor. Upon receiving her masters from Georgia Southern, Reba taught in the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Department at Georgia Southern where she was best known for her dance classes.

Dedicated to her students, she not only gave them good counsel, but she often invited them to her home for lunch and occasionally provided needy students with free room & board in her home so they could complete their college degrees. During her career at Georgia Southern, Reba was selected by her students as "Teacher of the Year" and she was a sponsor of GSU Fellowship of Christian Athletes

Passionate about dance, Reba also taught classes in the Georgia Southern Continuation Education Program, at the Statesboro Recreation Department and in her home. Her dance talent was showcased when she was a Runner-Up in the Mrs. Senior Georgia Pageant.

Reba was an accomplished artist known for her floral & landscape paintings. She exhibited her work locally and was often encouraged to sell her art. Instead, she usually gave her paintings away. Reba was an excellent tennis player and she won the Georgia State Women's Tennis Singles and Doubles championship. Reba competed and excelled in Senior Olympics. She won first place in the Georgia Senior Olympics in the 100-meter race on at least two occasions and in 2000, when competing in the 100-meter race in the National Senior Olympics, Reba had the 16th fastest time in the nation in her age division.

Reba gave freely to the community. She was a long time member of First Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School. Reba was a member of the Fidelis Sunday School Class. Reba served as President of the Statesboro Junior Woman's Club and the Statesboro Beta Sigma Phi. She was also a generous donor to numerous charities. In 2001 she received the Den Day Smith Service to Mankind Award and in 2002 Reba received an award from the Statesboro Bulloch County Parks and Recreation Department in special recognition of her continued support of the Golden Age Senior Citizen Center.

Reba developed exercise programs and for several years her weekly activities included the "Sit Fit Seniors" coming to her home for exercise. Reba also conducted senior exercise classes at two of Statesboro's assisted living homes and lead seniors in cardio-walk and other exercises at the Statesboro Recreation Center. Reba regularly visited Brown's Nursing Home and Southern Manor where she entertained the resident by tap dancing as they kept rhythm clapping hands and stomping feet. For several years Reba had her "Lunch Bunch" - a group of fifteen to twenty lady friends - enjoy lunch every other Thursday at Reba's home. Gloria, Reba's dear friend and housekeeper of 44 years, did most of the cooking.

Reba was a remarkable lady with boundless energy giving freely of her time to family, friends, and strangers. She was preceded in death by her husband E.W. "Buddy" Barnes, her parents Ralph L. Wood and Ruth Foss Wood and a daughter Lydia Barnes Johnson.

Survivors are a daughter Alicia Bea Dot Barnes Burnsed of Statesboro, Ga. two sons and daughter in laws, Gary W. Barnes and Armenda of Statesboro and Emmett Lee Barnes, III and Amy of Atlanta, Ga. One brother and sister in law Hubert and Gay Wood of Mableton, Ga. 8 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held Monday morning at 11:00am in the Chapel of the Statesboro First Baptist Church with Dr. H. William Perry officiating.

Burial will be in Eastside Cemetery.

Gathering of Family and Friends will be held Sunday from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at the Hodges-Moore Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Ogeechee Area Hospice P.O. Box 531, Statesboro, Ga. 30459, Statesboro First Baptist Church, Silver Lining 108 North Main Street Statesboro, Ga. 30458 Or the Alzheimer's Association -Georgia Chapter, 41 Perimeter Ctr. , Suite 550 Atlanta, Ga. 30346.

Please visit our on line memorial at www.hodgesmoore.com to sign the guestbook and share fond memories with the Barnes Family.

Hodges-Moore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Close