Jay Barnhart

Vernon Jay Barnhart, beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather, great grandfather & friend, passed away peacefully to his Heavenly Father on July 14, 2014 at his home, with loved ones surrounding him, having fought a valiant fight with Silicosis at age 80. Jay lived a full and accomplished life. His family and many friends that he met throughout life, still to this day, love, honor and respect him. He was full of integrity and was one of the hardest working persons you would ever meet and he could fix anything. He helped and served everyone around him.

Jay was born on July 19, 1933 in Pocatello, Idaho, the only son to Thomas Harrison and Elsie Leona Barrickman Barnhart. He had three wonderful sisters; Beverly, Sharon & Ronda. Some of his lifelong passions started in his younger years fishing and camping with his dad and relatives. He also played the violin which he picked up again later in life. It was at the old Franklin Jr. High, Bonneville now, where he met Joan Marie Simmons, whom later became his wife. They were married on January 6, 1951, the same year that Jay graduated from high school. They had three children during their marriage, two toe head blondes, Kathy and Jackie and 5 years later, Thomas Jay. Later in life, they divorced.

Starting in high school and for about ten years, Jay worked with his dad for the Barnhart & Wheeler Construction Company. They built roads all over Idaho and also built the hump yard at the railroad.

Jay's talents and hard work helped him to be an excellent salesman. He sold cars and was a sales manager for Intermountain Chevrolet. He later worked selling real estate and was part owner of Landmark Real Estate Company. He also worked for Ted's Chrysler. Jay also loved tinkering with cars, buying them on a dime, meticulously working them over and selling them for a profit. He made money on every car he ever owned.

Jay eventually met a lovely lady, Jeannette Anderson. Jay loved her deep spiritual nature and they married and were sealed in the Ogden Temple on June 6, 1981. Jay gained two sons, Trever & Eric and two daughters, Anjie and Amanda. Jay embraced this family and truly loved them and they immensely loved him back.

His favorite memories are either being on the lake water skiing or on a fishing boat with the best fishing stories ever! His water skiing days started with Kathy, Jackie, Tom and friends at either Twin Lakes or American Falls and later Trever, Eric, Anjie & Amanda joined them. All of them loved taking the jet ski and jumping the wake of the boat. Dad was proud of the fact that his smaller boat could out run the big ones! The grandkids will never forget grandpa teaching them how to slalom ski. His famous fishing place was Henry's Lake but he also loved to fish in the rivers. He made fishing memories with his dad, sons and grandsons! But he would always say that he caught the biggest fish.

Dad and Jean were actively involved in the LDS Church and Jay served faithfully in his ward in such callings as first counselor in the Elder's Quorum, Clerk, Sunday School President, High Priest Group Leadership and Stake and Ward Missionary. Jay loved singing in the choir and did that for his whole life! After retirement, another new passion arose as he focused on genealogy. His genealogical research has blessed the lives of many individuals in his own extended family and others outside of his family. He also loved to attend and work in the temple with Jean. Jay and Jean looked forward to the time that they could serve a mission together. But, about that time, Jay ended up being in the last stages of Silicosis and his mission became a local mission helping to teach budgeting and other classes to the employees at Deseret Industries and also sorted jewelry there. He loved this and it was hard on him when he had to give that up.

Jay is preceded in death by: his father, Thomas Harrison; mother, Elsie Leona; and sister Beverly (Dean) Lambert. He is survived by: his wife, Jean Barnhart; two sisters, Sharon (Jerry) Waters of Pocatello; and Ronda (Dave) Porter of Bountiful, UT; his daughters, Kathy (Mike) Merzlock of Pocatello; Jackie Romriell of Pocatello; Anjie Anderson of Pocatello and Amanda Hollingsworth of Pocatello; sons, Thomas Jay (Jill) Barnhart of Pocatello, Trever (Pam) Anderson of American Fork, UT and Eric (Amber) Anderson of Tridell, UT; 30 grandchildren, 53 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2014 (Jay's birthday) at the Highland Stake Center on Satterfield Drive in Pocatello, ID. A viewing will be held from 6 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, July 18, 2014 at Wilks Funeral Home 211 W. Chubbuck Road and one hour prior to the funeral at the church from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. Interment will follow services at Restlawn Memorial Gardens. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.wilksfuneralhome.com.