Obituary of Mary Jo Barnes

     Mary Jo Barnes, 93, passed away Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at Willow Crossing Health and Rehabilitation. Mary Jo was born September 30, 1927 in Piner, Kentucky to parents Robert and Mary Elliot.

     She graduated from Simon Kenton High School in Independence, Kentucky. After high school, Mary Jo attended college in Cincinnati, Ohio and eventually graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. She met James H. Barnes after he returned from serving in World War II and they were married on September 3, 1947. Mary Jo had a love for numbers and worked as an Accountant for most of her career. She worked in several areas of the accounting field, but had a special appreciation for tax accounting because it offered her a challenge. She was a faithful member of Parkside Baptist Church and a member of Mill Race Center. She enjoyed playing Bridge, cooking, and entertaining, and had a specialty for baking apple pies. She loved spending time with her family and always ensured they were well fed when they came to visit. Mary Jo loved her family and was very involved in the lives of her grandchildren. She regularly attended their school activities and sports functions, and was a genuinely proud grandmother.

     Survivors include her sons, Michael Barnes and James Barnes; four grandchildren; and 2 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Mary Elliot; her husband, James H. Barnes; and her sister, Delphine Melugin.

     A funeral service for Mary Jo will be held Monday, June 21, 2021 at 5 p.m. at Myers-Reed Chapel with Dr. William Bailey officiating. Friends may call for visitation from 3 p.m. until the time of the service. Mary Jo will be laid to rest at Zionsville Cemetery in Zionsville, Indiana.

     A gathering of friends will be held on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Chambers & Grubbs Funeral Home, 8461 Dixie Highway, Florence, KY 41042. 

     Memorial Donations in her name may be made to the American Cancer Society. To share a memory or to leave an online condolence, please visit the tribute wall tab above.