Greg Barnes

Memorial service for Greg Barnes, 59, of Markham will be 11 a.m. Good Friday, March 29, 2024 at the Heritage Trail Bible Church in McKinley with Pastor Gus Layman officiating.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.  Arrangements are by the Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home of Aurora.

Greg Barnes, our beloved son, brother, husband, father and grandfather passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. He was surrounded by family at the time he was called home to be with his Lord in Heaven. 

Greg was born on September 26, 1964 to Albert Ellis and Phyllis Eileen (Dahlenburg) Barnes on the Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan. He spent his early life living in various places around the world with his family while his father served in the United States Air Force. The family eventually settled in Rapid City, South Dakota where he graduated from Rapid City Central. He graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota with a B.A. in music education and sang in the Concordia Choir. He moved to Northern Minnesota in 1987 where he taught for 34 years, as an elementary music teacher and a high school choral director.

Greg dedicated much of his time to his students and groups within the community. From directing church choir to caroling with students at various nursing homes, music was how he shared his heart with those around him. He inspired a love of music across many generations throughout his life. Music was one of his greatest passions, but he also enjoyed other hobbies such as woodworking, grilling, eating, and watching a wide variety of movies and tv shows (from which he could quote lines at the drop of a hat). Above all, Greg was a man of faith and wanted to share the love of God with the world. His hope was in the Lord and the promise of Romans 8:28 stayed close to his heart throughout his 11-year cancer journey…that God works all things together for good.

Greg is survived by his wife, Thea; his children: Tabatha (Boris) Western, Zachary Barnes, Kate Barnes, and step-daughters: Samantha (Greg) Delich and Anneka (Jeremiah) Yee; grandchildren: Jeremiah (Kat) Murphy, Ciena Murphy, Avvy Western, and Malakai Yee; his siblings: Ellis O’Brien Barnes, Rhonda Newman, and Mark Barnes; father and mother-in-law: Gene and Bonnie Saumer; brother-in-law, Lee (Karen) Saumer; as well as numerous beloved nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his parents and his grandson, Elijah Murphy.