| Graduation Year | Class of 1941 |
| Date of Passing | Jun 29, 2011 |
| About | Rushville Republican July 2, 2011 Robert V. Barnett Jr., 88, passed away June 29, 2011 at the home of his daughter in South Westerlo, N.Y. Robert (Bob) was born in Noblesville, Ind., June 8, 1923 to Robert V. Barnett Sr. and Henrietta (Van Zee) Barnett. Shortly thereafter the family moved to Rushville where Bob resided the majority of his life. His father founded the Hoosier Dairy on Morgan Street in Rushville and Bob grew up riding on the milk truck with his father picking up fresh milk at local farms. He served in all areas of the business, helping with delivery of milk bottles and cases to homes, local markets and restaurants. Other interests included playing the French horn in the Rushville High School Band, but his favorite activity was playing high school football. In the fall of 1941, Bob enrolled as a freshman at Hanover College in Madison where he studied until early 1943, when he voluntarily enlisted in the Army Air Corps. For the next three years he served as a celestial navigation trainer at Barksdale Field, La. In addition, he played football for the Barksdale Field Sky Raiders. After receiving an honorable discharge from the military in 1946, Bob resumed his studies at Hanover College, graduating with a major in business. He also played tackle and served as captain of the Hanover Panthers football team. It was there he met Betty Dean Bullock of Louisville, Ky. and they were married Oct. 12, 1948. After graduation, Bob returned to Rushville and renewed his business partnership with his father. In the late 1940s Hoosier Dairy became a distributorship for Borden's milk products and Bob served as the manager of the company. Bob took over complete operation of the business upon his father's death in 1974. In 1979 he sold Hoosier Dairy and became a sales representative for Borden's Dairy Products in Indianapolis. He retired in 1989 and he and Betty bought a motor home. They spent the next several years visiting their children and traveling around the country. A highlight of this period of his life was a visit to Alaska with his brother John on the occasion of the presentation of the family Masonic apron to his nephew Chris. Bob and Betty moved to South Westerlo, N.Y., to be near their daughter Jane Scrafford in 1996. They became active members of United Methodist Church in Norton Hill, N.Y. After Betty's death in July, 2007 Bob moved into the Scrafford home where he resided until his death. In addition to being a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, Bob was an active member of the Rushville Kiwanis Club and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was also a Mason in the Scottish Rite for 63 years. Bob was appointed to the Rushville Consolidated School board where he served as both secretary and president during a four-year term. In addition to his wife of 59 years, Betty, Bob was predeceased by his brother, John Paul Barnett; his brother-in-law, Marlan Thorpe; and his granddaughter, Sarah Prevost. He is survived by his sister, Mary Jane Thorpe of Rushville; daughters, Dean Ann (Stephen) Fowler of Brookfield, Conn., Jane (Bill) Scrafford of South Westerlo, N.Y. and Martha (Douglas) Hodges of Manchester, Tenn.; his grandchildren, Robert (Jennifer) Scrafford of Baltimore, Md., Police Sergeant Elizabeth Scrafford of Plymouth, N.H., Charles Prevost of San Diego, Calif., James (Harmony) Fowler of Mason, N.H. and Airman First Class Mark Hodges of Bury St. Edmund, England; and three great grandchildren. Also surviving are adopted grandchild Brian (Tara) Hostash, of Middleburgh, N.Y. and their two children. Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Saturday July 2, 2011 at Greenville-Norton Hill U.M.C. in Norton Hill, N.Y. A local service will be held at a later date at East Hill Cemetery, Rushville. Those who wish to remember Robert in a special way may contribute in his memory to the Greenville-Norton Hill U.M.C. Memorial Fund or to the Community Hospice of Albany. |
