Verba Barnes

Verba Lucille Barnes
Friday, September 21, 2007

CASPER -- Funeral services for Verba Lucille Barnes, 91, will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Sept. 21, 2007, at Newcomer Family Funeral Home with Tom Blevins of the LDS Church officiating. Burial will take place in Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery in Evansville.

She died Sept. 18, 2007, surrounded by her family.

She was born Aug. 20, 1916, in Casper, the daughter of Burley James Ford and Lucille Marie Nance.

She was raised in Cody where she had fond memories of riding her horse to school. Her family returned to Casper where she graduated from Natrona County High School in 1935. After high school she married and had two daughters.

After a divorce she married bandleader Johnny Walker of Jackson.

After his death in 1952, she returned to Casper where she met and fell in love with her dancing partner of 50 years, Les Barnes.

She was widely known as a talented artist, featured in art shows throughout the country and holding several shows at her beloved summer home at Alcova Lake.

She was known as "The Lady of the Lake" where she taught hundreds of people to water ski. She and her husband, Les, were instrumental in the creation of the Casper Water Ski Club. She was proud of the fact that she water skied until she was almost 80 years old.

After the lake closed for the winter, she turned her energies to holiday celebrations and extravagant decorating. Her Casper home on Coffman St., was known as the "Holiday House" where no season or holiday was left undecorated, especially Christmas. During the Christmas season "Fantasy Land" came to life with her artistically created figures surrounding the house with lights, music and more lights. Generations of Casperites enjoyed walking through "Fantasy Land" where they were greeted by the couple dressed as Mr. & Mrs. Santa passing out candy canes.

Her greatest pride and joy were her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and treasured every moment with them.

Survivors include her daughters, Berta Echols of Casper and Peach Albertus and husband of Franktown, Colo.; a sister, June Cowger and two brothers, Burl Ford and wife and Glen Ford, all of Casper; four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Bud Ford, an infant sister, Maybelle and her late husband, Les Barnes.

Memorials may be made to the Casper Artist Guild, 1040 W. 15th St, Casper, 82604 or Central Wyoming Hospice.

Newcomer Family Funeral Home will be in charge of the arrangements.