Oliver Lee Barnes, Sr.

Mr. Oliver Lee Barnes, Sr., age 95, of Islandton, South Carolina, entered into rest Saturday morning, December 8, 2018, at the Veteran's Victory House in Walterboro.  He was the loving husband of sixty-eight years to the late Margaret Buganich Barnes at the time of her death on July 10, 2017.   

Born January 9, 1923, he was raised on a farm in Ehrhardt, South Carolina, and was a son of the late Oliver Plato Barnes and Pearl Varn. He received his BS degree from the College of Charleston, his MS in Economics from the University of South Carolina and his MBA from Columbia University where he also completed coursework towards his PhD. Mr. Barnes was an Associate Professor of Business at Columbia University, the University of South Carolina and the Baptist College in Charleston where he also served as Vice President of Business Affairs. After retirement he founded Barnes-Colleton-Edisto Realty and was awarded the first Colleton County Board of Realtors Lifetime Achievement Award.

A World War II veteran, Mr. Barnes received an Army Specialized Training Program diploma at Georgetown University. While there, he was chosen to guard President Roosevelt at the White House. He served in the US Army Signal Corp as a Cryptographic Technician and decoded the radio message from the Enola Gay alerting the island of Iwo Jima of the atomic blast on Hiroshima which brought an end to the war. His unit was attached to the Fifth Amphibious Marine Corps. He received an American Theater Service Ribbon, AFT Service Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal and Presidential Meritorious Unit Citation.

Surviving are: Children, Ann Barnes Maury of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Oliver Lee Barnes, Jr. and his wife Mary Margaret of Islandton, Mary Barnes Knox and her husband George of McKinney, Texas, and John Charles Barnes and his wife Robin of Walterboro; 13 grandchildren, Chris Maury, Michael Maury, Elizabeth Konetchy, Oliver Lee Barnes, III, Jesse Barnes, Emma Barnes, Drew Knox, Christopher Knox, Laurel Smith, Sophia Judge, Olivia Laird, Victoria Hall, and Michaela Busch; 17great grandchildren; and sister, Grace Caldwell of New Ellenton and brother Marion Edward Barnes of Islandton. He was preceded in death by brothers, Ben Barnes, Johnny Barnes and sister, Mary McCall.

Mr. Barnes and his wife were active members of Edgewood Baptist Church.  For those who wish, memorial contributions can be made in his memory to: Edgewood Baptist Church, 138 Wildwood Drive, Walterboro, South Carolina 29488; or to the Wesley Chapel Cemetery Fund, c/o Danny Barnes 7236 Moselle Road, Islandton, South Carolina 29929. 

Funeral services will be held 10 am, Saturday morning, December 15, 2018 at Edgewood Baptist Church, 138 Wildwood Drive, Walterboro.  Interment with military honors provided by the United States Army will follow in Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery, Confederate Highway, Ehrhardt.

Family and friends are invited to call during a time of visitation this Friday evening from 6 o’clock until 8 o’clock at THE BRICE W. HERNDON AND SONS FUNERAL HOMES AND CREMATORY, WALTERBORO CHAPEL, 1193 Bells Highway, Walterboro; 843.538.5408.  Visit our online registry at: www.briceherndonfuneralhome.com.

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