Obituary for William R. Barna
November 29th 2021. This was the day our Mother lost her husband and our Father left this earth. He lived eighty plus years and fought the good fight.
William Barna had a presence in this world. He had personality, could tell a good story and attracted people of all walks of life on the street, in the grocery store, at the airport, asking him for help, directions or seeing him as a person who was approachable and safe that could provide assistance. People were drawn to him. They were drawn to him because of his essence. His energy was kind and pure. He stumbled along the way, as we all do, but his energy and presence drew people in.
He had his first battle with cancer seven years ago. It was terrifying but he did what he had to do and got through it. He was not without concern over the years that it would rear it’s ugly head sometime in the future and it had. This time around, he was willing to face another battle for our family. There is no doubt this journey had changed his perspective and provided a sense of peace along every step of the way. He had a strong devotion to Mary through praying the Rosary which granted him a peaceful passing. This was evident as to how he left this world. His wife, Theresa and daughter Laurie were there by his side encouraging him to let go and telling him it was okay to go home. He fought the good fight, and left for home. He peacefully submitted and let go of his struggle here on earth and his soul was released at 12:20am.
Dad always felt strongly he wanted to leave a legacy in this world. He made many comments over the past couple of years that he was so proud of his family, each and every one of them. “There’s not a bad apple in the bunch”, he would say every time he spoke of our family. He is survived by his wife Theresa of 59 years and his four children, Donna, Laurie, Lynn and Paul. He was blessed with the role of Grandpa and Great Grandpa (also known as Pop-Pop, Poppy) to twelve grandchildren and two great grandchildren: Aileend, Kayleigh, Elizabeth, Jacqueline, Joshua, Elijah, Donovan, Garren, Alec, Adam, Reid, Abigail and Audrey and Brooks.
In addition to leaving a legacy through his family, he achieved fifty years of sobriety, which is quite an accomplishment and not an easy task. It wasn’t without difficulty but he persevered and took it “One day at a time and some days, one minute at a time.” He was an avid reader and published two books of his own, A Turn for Worse and Take Two. He was working on a third. He also had a short story published in Turnstyle, The SABR Journal of Baseball. Baseball was his passion his entire life. He loved everything about it. He continued his love of baseball into his retirement years in which he played senior ball until he was 75 years old.
Since his passing, we, as a family, have not had the time to grieve our loss. This journey had had a toll on our Mother and she fell ill from the stress of caring for our Father over the past two months since his brain surgery. It hasn’t been only two months, he hasn’t been feeling well for the past couple of years. It has had a cumulative effect. As Mom is recovering at home, we have been talking about the things Dad used to say over the years. We are calling them Dadisms:
Never kick a turd on a hot day.
Easy does it.
Godspeed.
That was a spicy meatball.
Things are getting dicey.
Colder than a witches elbow.
How many cuppers ?
If you don’t know right or wrong by the time you are 35, you never will.
Give me fives so I know you’re alive.
If there is a smart thing to do and a dumb thing to do, a boy will always do the dumb thing.
If a man wants a blue suit, turn on a blue light.
If I did the right thing 50% of the time raising my kids, I did well.
Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.
For every adversity, there is a seed of greater benefit.
Ages and stages.
The peace in which he passed has transcended to each family member. It is a comfort to know his passing from this life to the next was a transition in which he had no fear and that it is a place in which he felt safe to go, with the knowledge we will all be okay. That concern for his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren has always been on the forefront of his mind. He left willingly and peacefully. May he look down now and smile. Good job faithful servant. Godspeed. You are missed. Love, your family.
William Barna had a presence in this world. He had personality, could tell a good story and attracted people of all walks of life on the street, in the grocery store, at the airport, asking him for help, directions or seeing him as a person who was approachable and safe that could provide assistance. People were drawn to him. They were drawn to him because of his essence. His energy was kind and pure. He stumbled along the way, as we all do, but his energy and presence drew people in.
He had his first battle with cancer seven years ago. It was terrifying but he did what he had to do and got through it. He was not without concern over the years that it would rear it’s ugly head sometime in the future and it had. This time around, he was willing to face another battle for our family. There is no doubt this journey had changed his perspective and provided a sense of peace along every step of the way. He had a strong devotion to Mary through praying the Rosary which granted him a peaceful passing. This was evident as to how he left this world. His wife, Theresa and daughter Laurie were there by his side encouraging him to let go and telling him it was okay to go home. He fought the good fight, and left for home. He peacefully submitted and let go of his struggle here on earth and his soul was released at 12:20am.
Dad always felt strongly he wanted to leave a legacy in this world. He made many comments over the past couple of years that he was so proud of his family, each and every one of them. “There’s not a bad apple in the bunch”, he would say every time he spoke of our family. He is survived by his wife Theresa of 59 years and his four children, Donna, Laurie, Lynn and Paul. He was blessed with the role of Grandpa and Great Grandpa (also known as Pop-Pop, Poppy) to twelve grandchildren and two great grandchildren: Aileend, Kayleigh, Elizabeth, Jacqueline, Joshua, Elijah, Donovan, Garren, Alec, Adam, Reid, Abigail and Audrey and Brooks.
In addition to leaving a legacy through his family, he achieved fifty years of sobriety, which is quite an accomplishment and not an easy task. It wasn’t without difficulty but he persevered and took it “One day at a time and some days, one minute at a time.” He was an avid reader and published two books of his own, A Turn for Worse and Take Two. He was working on a third. He also had a short story published in Turnstyle, The SABR Journal of Baseball. Baseball was his passion his entire life. He loved everything about it. He continued his love of baseball into his retirement years in which he played senior ball until he was 75 years old.
Since his passing, we, as a family, have not had the time to grieve our loss. This journey had had a toll on our Mother and she fell ill from the stress of caring for our Father over the past two months since his brain surgery. It hasn’t been only two months, he hasn’t been feeling well for the past couple of years. It has had a cumulative effect. As Mom is recovering at home, we have been talking about the things Dad used to say over the years. We are calling them Dadisms:
Never kick a turd on a hot day.
Easy does it.
Godspeed.
That was a spicy meatball.
Things are getting dicey.
Colder than a witches elbow.
How many cuppers ?
If you don’t know right or wrong by the time you are 35, you never will.
Give me fives so I know you’re alive.
If there is a smart thing to do and a dumb thing to do, a boy will always do the dumb thing.
If a man wants a blue suit, turn on a blue light.
If I did the right thing 50% of the time raising my kids, I did well.
Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.
For every adversity, there is a seed of greater benefit.
Ages and stages.
The peace in which he passed has transcended to each family member. It is a comfort to know his passing from this life to the next was a transition in which he had no fear and that it is a place in which he felt safe to go, with the knowledge we will all be okay. That concern for his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren has always been on the forefront of his mind. He left willingly and peacefully. May he look down now and smile. Good job faithful servant. Godspeed. You are missed. Love, your family.