• Carl “Irvin” Barnes, son of Roy I. and Vera E. (VanWinkle) Barnes, was born on Tuesday, April 10, 1945, in Oak Grove, AR at home. He departed this life on Friday, May 29, 2026 at his home in Springfield, MO, at the age of 81 years, 1 month, and 3 weeks.

On June 7th, 1964 Irvin was united in marriage to Barbara Fletcher of Mountain Home, AR. To this union three sons and four daughters were born.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Barney Odas; two daughters, Beverly Joann, and Lesa Ann; two grandchildren, Adam Barnes and Jasmine May; three great-grandchildren; one sister and brother-in-law, Marie and Tim Loftis; a brother, Leroy Barnes; and two sisters-in-law, Juanita (Bunch) Barnes and Gayle (Howard) Barnes.

He was survived by his loving wife of nearly 62 years, Barbara of the home; son, Charles Barnes; son and daughter-in-law, Tony and Dawn Barnes; daughter and son-in-law,Supriya and Daniel May; all of Springfield, MO; daughter and son-in-law, Sunila and Matthew Brown of Long Lane, MO; Grandchildren,Mikala (& Travis) Deck, Evan (& Casey) Barnes, Michael, Lacey, and Ashlyn Barnes, Brooklynn May, and Drue, Roy, and Vera Brown; great-grandchildren, Evie Deck, Forrest and Ben Barnes, (and one baby boy on the way); one brother, Ira Barnes of Springfield, MO; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Irvin was the youngest of four children, and was born prematurely in the family home. His Grandma wrapped him up, put him in a wooden shoebox on the open door of the wood cook stove, and kept him rotated to stay warm while helping the doctor. They poured at least a spoonful of coffee down his throat to help him get going, and although born the smallest, Doc. Carter told Roy Barnes, “He’ll probably grow to be your tallest.” And so Irvin did! Irvin and Ira were born 22 months apart, and started their life as they lived it, close confidants and friends, as well as brothers. They both say of the other that even though they might have disagreed here and there, they remained close, and their relationship was always cherished. Irvin was raised in the Arkansas Ozarks farming, singing, and to everyone’s surprise, preaching by the age of 17. He was baptized into the Church of Christ at the age of 16 in Clio, MO by Bro. Ronny Wade. Irvin’s plans with his school buddy to go to veterinary school were soon changed when he and Ira traveled with Bro. Miles King to Kentucky, and Miles found out that Irvin was an excellent public speaker. This was the start of Irvin’s 63 years of preaching and working with the Church of Christ.

Irvin met Barbara while driving to hold a gospel meeting, and when he got home he told his brother Ira that he’d found the young lady that he wanted to marry. After eight months of dating they were married at the Fletcher home one Sunday afternoon. They began their married life as they would spend most of it, traveling from Pennsylvania to California preaching the gospel, meeting and making friends, all while helping anyone they could along the way. Irvin was often known to say of himself, “I’m just an Arkansas hillbilly preacher; I can farm and I can preach.” But, he was so much more than that. Irvin and Barbara fed, clothed, and housed as many as they could over nearly 62 years of marriage. The kids recall there was almost always a house full for Sunday dinner. Any night of the week there might be extra people at the supper table, midnight phone calls requesting assistance, prayers, or even a baptism. Irvin officiated more funerals and weddings than the family could keep track of. Wherever he lived, people he didn’t even know would call for him to preach their funerals. Funeral home directors knew to call him when someone passed away without ties to a Church or anyone to officiate their service. Many people who only ever heard him preach on the radio or saw him preach on television left word that they wanted Irvin to take care of their funeral services. If you couldn’t afford to go to the doctor and were suffering, Irvin and Barb would do their best to see to it that you had the money to go, drive you there, then send you home with a jar of her homegrown veggie soup.

Irvin worked with the congregations of the Church of Christ at Mountain Home, AR; West Plains, MO; Harrison, AR; Mountain Home, AR (again), and spent the last 45 years with the congregation on the north side of Springfield, MO (originally on North H Hwy. in Springfield, it later moved to the Pleasant View area.) There he served the congregation and community first as an evangelist, and later as an elder. Irvin began preaching on a radio program at the age of 17, and continued to do so for years wherever he traveled to hold gospel meetings. He also took over the work of the “Let the Bible Speak” gospel television program in Springfield, MO in the early 1980s. That led to many leads, more traveling, and meeting people in public for years to come who, despite his overalls and cap or straw hat, immediately recognized him by his distinctive voice.

Irvin’s work with “Let the Bible Speak” led to his authorship of 77 booklet–study aids for learning the Word of God in context so that the reader could easily apply the teachings of the Bible to their everyday life. Irvin also began working in marriage counseling and training to work with couples who sought help and support. He wasn’t always able to help them save the marriage, but he helped many couples, who came back in later years with their growing families to thank him and Barb for the encouragement and guidance they provided.

After Irvin and Barbara moved to Springfield, MO, they adopted their youngest two daughters from India: Supriya at 4 months of age, in 1982, and Sunila at 7 months of age, in 1986. They spread the word about their joyous experiences, and supported many other families in pursuing adoption from India, resulting in 17 children being adopted into families in Arkansas and Missouri.

Irvin was an avid gardener and fruit tree farmer. He also raised beef cattle, and bottle calves for replacement heifers with the help of Barbara and their kids. Often, they hired local kids and young people from the Church to help in the summers. After moving 19 times over the course of their marriage, they made the little 23-acre farm on Farm Road 88 their home for the last 39 years. In that old farmhouse they renovated and sometimes just put up with, they finished raising their four children. Each one was living there when they married and moved out of the family home. Others came and stayed when in need of a warm bed and loving care, and the kids and grandchildren knew they were always welcome back home no matter the time of day. Many a member of the Church from anywhere in the country, and even the world, could be found on a random weekday stopping by in their travels just to see and visit with Irvin and Barb.

Irvin made many friends in his life, and kept them. Closest of all to him and Barb were Kent and Phyllis May, who labored in the Lord’s vineyard with them for decades, and shared their families and lives closely.

Over and around everything he did, and underlying how he built his life was a love for people and sharing God’s word. Irvin was a master story teller who could paint a picture with words. Irvin could have you gasping for breath from laughing so hard from his stories, and tell them in a way that stayed with you for life. All of it was to implore you to live a life that served God, served others, and made you see everyone as your neighbor.

Irvin was a loving husband, father, Papaw, great-grandpa, brother, son, uncle, Brother in Christ, neighbor, and friend. We celebrate his life, his love of the saving power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, his willingness to serve anyone, and his gentlemanly Ozarks way.

As Irvin was fond of saying, no one took better care of him than his Barb, who was his partner in life, in helping him share the Gospel, and his caretaker since he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 30 years ago. The family thanks you all for adding to his life, caring for his family, and continuing to remember them in your prayers in the days ahead.