On Wednesday afternoon, June 27, 2018, our beautiful Mother, Jeanette Ayo Barnes, went to her Heavenly Home. After a long, hard battle, she finally won. She is now rejoicing and singing in Heaven’s choir and reunited with loved ones who had gone before her.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, July 1, 2018, at First Baptist Church in Bridge City, Texas with Reverend Bob Boone and Reverend Mark Bunch officiating. Burial will follow the service at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Orange.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, at First Baptist Church in Bridge City.

She was born on August 22, 1934 in Port Arthur, Texas to Walter R. Ayo and Mary Freda Hodgkinson. Growing up in Port Arthur at Gulf Park, then moving to Bridge City, Texas, Mom attended and graduated from Stark High School in 1952 and continued her education graduating from Port Arthur Business College in 1953.

Mother married the love of her life, our Father, Robert E. Barnes on June 23, 1955. They just celebrated 63 glorious years this past Saturday on June 23. Through the years she gave birth to four children, one who passed shortly after birth. The lessons she taught us were so valuable but the most important of all was about Our Lord Jesus and His Love for us. The legacy she has left us is instilled in each and every one of us and we proudly have passed that on to each of our children.

There were many things in life that she loved. She had many friends and enjoyed a good game of Bridge, laughter at a silly joke (many told by her eldest nephew, Warren Ducote, whom she adored!). She also loved to travel, one trip especially, included her brother and sister-in-law, Gerald and Murlene Ayo where they travelled to Williamsburg, Va., and Washington DC. She also loved to visit Branson, Missouri and thoroughly enjoyed all the musicals she was able to experience there.

She worked as a secretary for many years at Allied Chemical in Orange, Texas and then moved on to work and retire from Ameripol Synpol in Port Neches, Texas.

Our mother was preceded in death by both her parents, Walter R. Ayo and Mary Freda Hodgkinson Ayo; infant daughter, Marlys Barnes; brother, Raymond Ayo; sister, Juanita Ducote; beloved brother-in-law, Louis Ducote; beloved sister-in-law, Murlene Ayo.

Mother is survived by her husband, Robert E. Barnes; children/spouse – Robyn Smith (John); Meredith Beckcom; Scott Barnes (Cynthia – fiancé); grandchildren/spouse – Morgan Dupuis (Leslie); Taylor Yeaman (Jeremy); Tristan Barnes (Summer); Katelyn Edwards (Nate); Hunter Beckcom (Amanda – fiancé), Kenneth Beckcom; Paige Austin (Matt); Angie Smith (Andrea); Garney Doucette, Jesse Doucette; 14 great-grandchildren; brother, Gerald Ayo; numerous nieces and nephews and beloved extended family.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons: Tristan Barnes, Hunter Beckcom, Kenneth Beckcom, Jeremy Yeaman, Leslie Dupuis and Nate Edwards. Honorary Pallbearers will be her great grandsons: Davien Edwards, Christian Dupuis, Austin Yeaman, Raylan Barnes, Kaiden Barnes, Jesse Doucette and Anthony Austin.