Bill Lee Barnard

Bill Lee Barnard was born on an air base in Orlando, Florida on April 16, 1945 to William Barnard and Ruth Trutna Barnard. Less than a year later his brother Rocky joined the family. Bill was a student of Medicine Lodge schools and grew up across from the Pageant Drive-In Theater.
Bill always had a job starting as a carry out boy for a grocery store at nine years of age. He was an outstanding three-sport athlete and had signed to play football for Ft. Hays State University when his knee was ruined during the last game of his senior year. He was president of his senior class and maintained a close relationship with his classmates.

He attended Ft. Hays for a year and then returned home to work for Barbara Oil Company. Until he was completely disabled, he continued to work in sales, tires, a bus driver and the oil field. His last job was as a contract pumper. Bill had many accidents and we used to joke that he had gone through several guardian angels. He survived a plane crash, a rolled semi truck and a rolled covered wagon, among others. His last serious accident was a fall while checking an oil lease in July of 2021. He lay there for 5 hours, unable to get up. This final accident was his retirement party.

On July 23, 1966, he married Patricia Lukens. They were blessed with four children. James Barnard and Beth Barnard both of Medicine Lodge, KS, Julia (Steve) Schomacker of Murdock, KS and Christopher (Linette) Barnard of Coldwater, KS. When Patti asked Bill about the highlights of their marriage, he replied, “When the kids were born.” Bill has 14 cherished grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren with one more to be born in November.

Bill loved children and always had a dollar or a piece of candy in his pocket to give them. He wanted to make sure that all children felt loved. He loved attending sporting events of his grandkids and kids in Medicine Lodge. He loved to brag on his grandchildren and was certain everything they did was the best ever.

Bill accepted Christ as a boy at the First Christian Church in Medicine Lodge. As an adult, he served as an elder there and at Community Bible Fellowship, being one of the founding members of the church. For over 10 years he and Patti led the youth groups at First Christian Church. It began with the three Clarke girls and Cindy Bohr, growing to over 30 high school students. He taught youth and adult Sunday School classes over the years and even taught the pre-school VBS class one summer. Bill loved the Lord and took pride in posting Bible verses on Facebook as long as he was able. He had many friends and was an encouragement to many people in their walk with the Lord. His desire was to bring as many people to have a personal relationship with Christ as possible. Bill made and erected the three crosses west of the church where Community Bible Fellowship would hold their Sunrise Easter services. His wish is to have his ashes spread beneath the crosses.

The family would like to give a big thank you to classmate and friend Gary Reed for coming to see Bill nearly every day for the past two years.
Bill is now in heaven with no pain, a new body and he can hear! Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his in-laws, his younger sister, Jodie, his brother-in-law Clay John Lukens and his sister-in-law, Gay Lynn Cummins. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, his four children, his brother and sister-in-law Rocky and Gaye Barnard of Tullahoma Tennessee, his brother-in-law Gordon Lukens of Medicine Lodge, his grandchildren, his great-grandchildren and many many friends.

Memorial service for Bill will be held at Community Bible Fellowship in Medicine Lodge, KS on Saturday, August 16th at 10:00 AM with Reverend Dwain Richert presiding. Share condolences at www.cozine.com. Arrangements by Cozine Memorial Group-Broadway Mortuary.