Clarence N. Barnwell
April 20, 1925 ~ November 30, 2008
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Asheville Butterfly Trail
Clarence Napoleon Barnwell, 83, died Sunday November 30th, 2008 at Mission Hospital after an extended illness. He was the son of Clyde Napoleon and Elvia Gosnell Barnwell of Hoopers Creek in Henderson County.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Elaine Huggins Barnwell of Asheville, brother Andy Barnwell of Arden, sister Margaret Barnwell of Palm Bay, FL, daughter Denise Hembree of Charlotte and her children Matt and Jennifer, son Larry Barnwell of Bozeman, MT, his wife Debi, and their four sons Jake, Tyler, Shane and Nick, and daughter Martia Barnwell of Asheville, as well as four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brothers Kenneth, Earl, and Bobby, as well as his sister Dorothea.
Clarence served in the United States Army Air Corps in the European Theater during World War II, where he was a radio technician on a B-17, flying 15 missions during his 31 months of service.
After the war, he returned to school in Asheville to study accountancy and worked for businesses in North Carolina and Florida. Following up on his military radio experience and his love of music, he worked briefly as a disc jockey while in Florida. Although he went back to work as an accountant, he continued to work part-time in radio for many years, including a stint at WWNC after his return to Asheville in 1962. He worked as an auditor for the Employment Security Commission, retiring in 1985.
Clarence was interested in woodworking, leather work, gardening, and geology, as well as chair caning. His greatest love, however, was for music. He played guitar and sang, and was known for his strong sense of timing and his rich baritone voice. During the 1960's and 70's Clarence hosted weekly bluegrass jam sessions at his home. His unique sense of humor and love of both the written and spoken word are remembered fondly by those who knew him.
A memorial service will be held at Groce Funeral Home on Long Shoals Road Saturday at 3:00. The family will receive visitors immediately following the service at the funeral home. A private burial will be held at the Western North Carolina Veterans Cemetery.
Donations in memory of Clarence may be made to the charity of your choice.
Denise – We were so sorry to hear of your father’s passing. I wish we could be there to give you a big hug and comfort you in person. Having never met your father, I can only imagine what a wonderful man he was, since you are such a special, loving person. I know that God is with you and your family, and will give you strength and comfort in the days to come.
Love,
Julie and Jim Gilchriest
Know that my thoughts and prayers are with your family.
Please accept our most heartfelt sympathies for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.
Martia – So sorry to hear of your loss. Please know you are in my thoughts. Sue Spanton
My love and ssympathy to all of you.
Sorry to hear of your loss, my thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
Martia, I’m very sorry to hear about your Dad’s passing. My thoughts are with you and your family.
Dave
Denise and family
I am so sorry for your loss. Allow me to express my deepest condolences to you. I know that this is a most difficult time for you – and I know that your faith that he is now able to look down upon you without pain, from where you will one day join him, sustains you.
You all are in my thoughts and prayers.
I told Mr. Clarence that it had been an honor to be his Home Health Nurse, but you know, even in ICU, I thought I saw that look that he often gave me, the ‘I think I’m going to fire you’ look, but he never did. I’ll hold so many good memories and be ever thankful to have been blessed in knowing him, a blessing to be extended for many years I hope with the rest of his wonderful family. Love to you all.
Elaine and family, I’m truly sorry to hear about Clarence. I have fond memories of Clarence coming to Dad’s. I listened to him often when he was on WWNC, he even dedicated me a song once, and that made me feel so special! I know you will miss him especially with the holidays coming up. Our thoughts and prayers are with each of you.
Denise and family;
Sorry for your loss. Let me know if I can help.
Sincerely,
Anthony White
Denise and Family
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We are so sorry for your loss. Denise, in all our conversations about your father, he sounded like an amazing man, and your love for him was so apparent in every word you spoke, and every gleam in your eye as you spoke about him. We love you and are here for you….and are sending you big hugs.
God’s blessing
Sandy, Steve, Amy, Meghan & Kenny
Your family is in my thoughts and prayers.I know this is a very sad time for you all. I hope the sweet memories of your lives together will help to get you through. God will be with you every step of the way. May the comfort of your friend help also. Tammy
Dear Denise and family,
What a beautiful man, with such a beautiful legacy. I pray that the love of Christ sustains you, resting sure in the promises of the resurrection. I pray too that your Dad’s voice will always sing in your heart~and by this you will carry him with you always just as the Lord promises to carry you, always.
With love and prayers,
Bryan, Michelle, Tyler, Sam and Jon Michael Askew
Our wonderful Papaw (as he was known to the younger generation) lived a great life and is singing and strumming with the best in heaven; something he always loved to do. I can remember being my daughters age (5) and sitting in Papaws lap, brushing his beard with the comb he always kept in his front pocket. He was always a patient and kind man. Thank you to everyone who has prayed and been there for our family. We love you.
Farewell to a very good friend. I knew Clarence well from IAPES and ESC functions. We had some great times together and i will always have fond memories of his positive can-do attitude and outlook.
We are praying for you and your family, Denise. Thanks be to God for the hope of the resurrection.
Pastor Kyle, Lora, and Luke
Denise,I am so sorry to hear about your dad.My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Love,
Donna
Dear Denise, Jennifer and family,
You have been and will remain in our thoughts and prayers as you continue to grieve the loss of someone you loved so dearly. Don’t you know Archie, who arrived in heaven a few days earlier, was there to shower him with flowers and show him the rainbows!
We love you and are here to support you in any way we can.
Jack and Laurel Jones
Dear Denise,
Thinking of you and your family in the death of your father. Our fathers are very special to each of us, which is why they are missed daily.
May God cover all of you with his comfort, peace, hope and love,
Estelle
Denise:
Please know that our family feels for your family. Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with you and all of your family.
We love you
Donna,Bill & Amanda
I only met Mr. Barnewll once. It’s really a pleasant memory of he and I sitting in his kitchen talking about airplanes, particularlly the B-17, and WWII. I was prety much mezmerized by his stories. And one thing that struck me about him was that he had the same look and twinkle in his eye that I always imagined good ole St Nick would have.
It’s comforting to know that he has gone home now and won’t suffer anymore. But I do lift up his family in prayer for their peace and comfort during this difficult time.
God Bless,
Tony
Martia and family. Please know Dennis and I are holding you in our prayers. You have a wonderful family and many close friends who are there to lean on. Your Dad is at Peace. With Love, Vivian and Dennis
My thoughts and prayers go to the whole family. I will always remember the bear hugs of welcome I always received, no matter how old I got or how far I moved away. May his memory be eternal.
Larry-
It is with most fond memories that I and the other Embyrs remember your Dad’s costant support in our early years and the musical talents you inherited from him.
Denise and family,
Our prayers are with you during this time of grief. May you feel the love and comfort or our Father during these difficult days.
Your friends at Christ Our Shepherd.
Denise,
What a wonderful man your father is. I know that heaven rejoices in his presence, but I also know that you weep. I pray that God will comfort you and your entire family. The Christmas season will be tough, but remember that he is now celebrating Christmas in the best possible place.
To Denise, We are very sorry about the loss of your dad. We totally understand the emotions that can arise in ones heart. Just remember the wonderful memories and they will never fade away. God’s peace will comfort you everyday. We will continue to remember you and your family in prayer.
Tammy Bodenhamer
and Jean Bryant
(Tony’s sister and mom)
Martia-
So Sorry to read about your Dad passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Dear Larry, I am so sorry to read of the death of your dad. He must have been an incredibly interesting man whose passing will leave a vacuum in your life. My hope is that you and your family will be at peace knowing that his spirit lives on in you. Love, Lisa
I have not known the family personally but am very close to some of the extended families, the
Hutchinsons, Lloyd, Don, Herman and Beulah Youngblood. I have spent a lot of time the last two years in the Hoopers Creek area and have learned a lot about the people there. That is the area my Grand Parents came from and a part of me feels it is almost ‘home’
Lloyd has told me so much about the Barnwell family I feel a kinship toward all you .
My heart goes out to each of you as you say so long to a wonderful husband, father, gr/father dear friend and relative . I am dealing with the loss of my beloved husband of almost 68 years
on JAN. 24, 2007 And my youngest daughter two years and 35 minutes before on Jan 24, 2005. I know
the depth of pain these losses can
bring, but only God can carry us through. I have passed my 85th birthday and am just waiting for the time the Lord says ‘ come on home’. I think my husband will say ‘woman, what took you so long’
May God bless and comfort each of you in the days to come
Elaine and family, we regret the loss of a long time friend but we treasure the memories of which he is a part. Susan and Joe Elliott
We have many happy memories of meals shared and music played with Clarence during his visits to Bozeman. We send our sympathy to Elaine, Larry, Denise, Martia, and to all who are mourning the loss of a very special man.
We wanted to send condolences from the family of Max Hannah (coworker at Employment Security)…great memories from Alan and Jenny Hannah Styles and Joan Hannah and Mickey Baldwin.