Rev. Webster Gesner Barnett
November 7, 1923 – November 30, 2010
The Rev. Webster Gesner Barnett died peacefully November 30th, 2010 at Seattle Virginia Mason Hospital. He was born at Red Wing, Minnesota, November 7, 1923 to The Rev. Joseph Noyes Barnett and Helen Gesner Barnett. His parents and his older sister, Mary Louise Barnett Critchlow and older brother, Joseph Jr. pre-deceased their brother, Webster.
Webster attended high school in Lake City, Minnesota and graduated from Roosevelt High School, Kent, Ohio in 1942. He entered Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut the following autumn. After one semester he volunteered for the 10th Mountain Division of the U. S. Army being formed at Camp Hale, Colorado. He became a Squad Infantry Sergeant and fought in Northern Italy from December 1944 and returned to the United States in August, 1945. He was discharged from the army in November and returned to Trinity College in January 1946 where he graduated in 1948. He entered the Virginia Theological Seminary (Episcopal) that Fall and graduated in the Class of 1951.
He married Mary Shirley an RN who was born and grew up in the State of Maine. She is the only child of the late Ernest and Regina Shirley of Maine.
Webster was Vicar of two mission churches in rural Minnesota, Good Shepherd, Windom and Calvary, St. James, Minnesota 1951-1955. He was Vicar and then Rector of a then new church called St. David Episcopal Church, Minnetonka, Minnesota (suburbs of Minneapolis) 1955-1968. From 1968-1981, the Barnett’s accepted a call to St. Timothy Church, Yakima, WA. In summer of 1979 the Barnett’s exchanged parishes with an English Priest and his family from Forest Row, West Sussex, England. From 1981- 1986, they accepted a call to a tri-church parish in Minnesota included were St. Mark, Lake City; Grace Church, Wabasha and Christ Church, Old Frontenac.
The Barnett’s have two married sons Andrew and Pauline, Stephen and Liz, and two daughters, Rebecca Barnett Campbell and Elizabeth Barnett and companion Blake Lovering. There are six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Fr. Barnett while in college became President of his fraternity Chapter, Phi Kappa of Alpha Delta Phi. As an Episcopal Priest he served on committees of the Diocese of Minnesota, the Diocese of Spokane, and in The Peninsula Region of the Diocese of Olympia. He was National Chaplain of the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division for several years and local Chaplain of the Mount Rainier Chapter.
He is survived by his beloved wife and helpmate of 61 years. Both loved to travel in the United States and cruise by ship and land tours to several parts of the world. Although, he retired in 1986, he remained in active ministry as Interim Priest, Supply Priest and most recently as Pastoral Assistant Priest at St. Barnabas Church on Bainbridge Island, WA. His entire ministry he has taken 5th Steps with those recovering in AA.
A memorial service and celebration of life will take place December 11, 2010 at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church on Bainbridge Island at 2pm followed by reception in the parish hall. A private committal with military honors, will take place following the service. Instead of flowers, memorial gifts are suggested to St. Barnabas Church or The Wounded Warriors of The 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York.
Please sign the online Guest Book for the family at: www.cookfamilyfuneralhome.com.
TRIBUTE Paid Notice
