Funeral Services Held For Former Trooper, Sheriff’s Dept. Employee

October 2, 2008

Funeral services were held Thursday for a former state trooper and sheriff’s department employee that died in a motor vehicle accident early Sunday morning.

Grover Barnes, Jr., 65, of Century died in the accident at 4:35 Sunday morning on Highway 99 at Frank Reeder Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Funeral services were Thursday afternoon at Olive Baptist Church with Dr. Ted Traylor officiating. Interment followed at Pensacola Memorial Gardens. Serving as pallbearers were members of the Masonic Lodge.

Honorary pallbearers were, Ken Robinson, Sheriff Ron McNesby, Martin Sharron, Skippy Edwards, Ed Emmons, Claude Gibbs, Andy McGovern, Pat Stephens, James and Ellison Carter, Paul Crumpler, Don Clevenger, Therrell Roberts, Danny Groves, members of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and others throughout the U.S. too numerous to mention.

Grover was born on in Pensacola, Florida, on August 26, 1943. He was a graduate of Escambia High School and served in the United States Army.

Grover was a faithful member of Olive Baptist Church. He was a 32nd Degree Mason and a member of the Hadji Shrine Temple and Naval 24 Masonic Lodge.

At the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office he was specialist in the fleet maintenance division and made himself available to all other departments and personnel.

Preceding Grover in death were his parents, Grover Barnes, Sr. and Nettye Ruth Martin Barnes, and his granddaughter, Courtney Cobb.

Survivors include his son, Andrew Barnes; daughter, Valerie “Jeanie” Reed (Eric); brother, David Barnes (Katherine); very special friend, Mary Lou Palmer and her children, Jeffrey and Wendy Palmer, who he loved as his own; his grandsons, Corey Cobb and Christopher Reed; his niece, Shannon Pollock; and nephews, Brian Barnes and Michael Wright (Tracy and Grace).

Comments

One Response to “Funeral Services Held For Former Trooper, Sheriff’s Dept. Employee”

  1. Stuart Wilson on November 29th, 2008 2:18 pm

    I am so sorry for your loss. I was stationed with Grover (we called him “Hap” )in the 96th Trans Co, Boeblingen, Germany, and we were good friends. We even returned on the same troop ship from Germany together. As things often go, we did not keep in touch over the years. I had no idea he was a law enforcement officer. I was as well, having served in the Wellsboro, Pa. PD, the Tioga County Sheriff’s Dept., and as Police Chief, Canton, Pa.
    My sister in law lives in Crestview, Fl. We are driving down for Christmas, our first trip to Florida, and I had hopes of finding my old friend for some reminiscence. I discovered this obituary during my attempt to locate him.
    During the time I knew him, “Hap” was a carefree friend to everyone. I certainly could picture him as a law enforcement officer. I bet he was a good one.
    Hap’s family will be in our prayers.
    STUART D. WILSON
    RR 1 Box 2394
    Monroeton, Pa. 18832
    570.364.8201

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News