Paul Barney

Paul B. Barney, 96, born at home in Cornatzer on August 2, 1923 to George Anderson Barney and Mattie Hendrix Barney, passed into the more immediate presence of our Lord at Forsyth Medical Center on Sunday, May 3 after an extended illness. Paul grew up on the family farm in Mocksville and attended Shady Grove School. Paul entered the Army on April 4, 1944 via Fort Bragg, NC. He was a Private in Company M, 2nd Infantry, 5th Division as a Heavy Machine Gunner in the Rhineland Campaign. He entered Europe via Normandy Beach. On December 26, 1944 around 4 pm Paul was critically wounded in WWII’s Battle of the Bulge between the towns of Luxembourg and Bastogne. He was honorably discharged due to service disability on July 21, 1945. Paul was the recipient of a Purple Heart, a European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal and a WWII Victory Medal for his bravery and sacrifice. Paul was a member of the first WWII Veterans High School Commencement Ceremony held on November 1, 2001 in the NC Department of Public Instruction Education Building in Raleigh, NC. Paul enjoyed attending ceremonies honoring WWII Veterans and NW Piedmont Purple Heart Recipients; he attended the Triad Flight of Honor on May 11, 2010. Paul retired from P. H. Hanes Knitting Company and was a fan of baseball. Paul married Lois Beeson on December 18, 1948 and resided in Hillsdale for 70 years. Their children are Michael (deceased) Barney, Marcia L. Barney and Stephen K. Barney. They have four grandchildren: Kami L. Periman, Ryan N. Barney, Shawn (Mindi) Barney and Tracy (Stephanie) Barney; eight great-grandchildren: Lorian Barney, Kaleb Barney, Trenton Barney, Isaac Barney, Katie-Grace Barney, Carter Barney, Aiden Barney and Raelyn Barney. Paul is pre-deceased by his parents, son Michael Barney, brother Calvin Barney and sisters Clara Barney, Lucy Barney and Ava Jones. He is survived by sisters Ella Smith and Alma Shoaf, daughter-in-law Judy (Dana) McKenzie, sister-in-law Loretta (Wesley) Vanhoy and sister-in-law Frances M. Barney. Memorials may be sent to either Cornatzer Baptist Church, 1372 Cornatzer Road, Mocksville, NC 27028 or to the Davie Community Foundation with funds designated for the Davie County Heroes Fund for Veterans, 107 N. Salisbury Street, Mocksville, NC 27028. A private graveside service will be held on Wednesday, May 6. Hayworth-Miller Kinderton Chapel is assisting the family; Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com.