Obituary of Leola Rosella Barnes

Leola Rosella Barnes went home to be with the Lord on Monday, December 31, 2018 at St. Francis Hospital in Midlothian, VA, after a brief illness. Her daughter Pam and son-in-law Ernest were there by her side. She was born April 6, 1919 in Mineola, MO to William and Helen Glover. Leola attended the Mineola public schools and worked on the farm with her father and sisters until she moved to St. Louis, MO. It was in St. Louis that she met her husband. Leola was united in holy matrimony with Henry L. Barnes in September 1946 in Montclair, NJ. To that union, two children were born, Marcus Barnes and Pamela Hobson. Later, they relocated to East Orange, NJ, where she joined Messiah Baptist Church. She was a faithful and dedicated member. In New Jersey she worked as a domestic for several families until she retired. In 2008 she moved to Powhatan, VA with her daughter and son-in-law and joined Mt. Pero Baptist Church where she joined the Missionary Ministry and became the Church Mother. She loved the Lord and her church families. She remained a faithful member in good standing until her last illness. Leola attended the Friendship Café in Powhatan from 2008 to 2017. She was very active and enjoyed socializing, the trips, exercise, shopping and art. Leola was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two loving children – Betty Lou Jackson and Marcus Barnes, granddaughter Leola (Penny) Walker, and sisters – Mary Jane Woolfork and Dorothy Davis. She is survived by one daughter, Pamela (Ernest) Hobson and step-son, Richard (Shirley) Barnes; 5 Grandchildren, Denise (Philip) White, Marcus Williams, Sheri Ray, Khylie (Marcus) Barnes-Wynn, Kristen (Al-Majid) Hutchins; 15 great grandchildren, Michael Chamberlain, Sharif (Kerri) White, Sr., Alexandra Walker, Rayvan Ray, Ryan Latta, DaRon Montgomery, Kamai Lowery, Malaeya and Brayden Hutchins, Kylan, Sharif, Jr., and Kyrif White, Markel, Anthony and Ty Chamberlain; 1 great great-grandchild Jayden Hargett; daughter-in-law, Denise Barnes Hutchins and numerous devoted nieces and nephews.