On December 25, 1994, James Albert
Barnes passed away in Bullhead City,
Arizona at the age of 79 years. Born
on May 22, 1915 to Dora and James Martin
Barnes, in Mattoon, Illinois, he was the
youngest of 4 children.
Jim's college years were consumed with
playing college football, and boxing in
Golden Gloves Tournaments. He excelled
at both and left behind numerous newspaper
articles lauding his prowess on the field,
and in the boxing arena.
James married Ethel Marie Skeen on
May 8, 1937. Two children were born to
their union, first a son, Patrick, who died
shortly after birth; the second, a daughter,
Patricia. Shortly thereafter they were
transferred to Needles from Illinois when
Jim went to work for the Santa Fe Railroad
as a fireman.
During the forties Jim and Ethel operated
Jim's Cafe and cabins at Front and D Streets.
During the fifties Jim was the manager of
the Needles Dept. of Motor Vehicles. He
later became the last Justice Court Judge
in San Bernardino County, retiring in 1977.
Jim Barnes was not only a fair and impartial
judge, but a fabulous father and an awesome
husband. No man ever loved his family more
than he did. Nor did any man ever love his
many pets more than he did.
Over his lifetime Jim had a full array of
pets, starting with the Doberman pinscher he
was assigned as he worked his way through
Bradley College on the Peoria, Illinois
police force canine unit, then the horse he
had on the equine unit. After moving to
Needles he had many horses, cats, dogs,
birds and turtles at his river home.
One of Jim's biggest accomplishments was
his dogged determination to see the building
of the levee that resulted in the Needles
Lagoon. That levee serves to protect the
Mojave Village and properties both north and
south of that point from additional
catastrophic flooding like the 1951 hundred
year flood of Needles.
Another passion was his love of the Mojave
Indians. He spent a large part of his time
and energy preserving the Mojave language in
his "Mojave Language Dictionary". "That All
May Know" was another book he published to
preserve Mojave customs and stories.
James is survived by his daughter, Patricia,
son in law James Perkins of Costa Mesa,
grandson Casey Perkins of Fort Mohave,
granddaughter Vicki Schultz of Huntington
Beach, and great grandson Jason Perkins.
Barnes passed away in Bullhead City,
Arizona at the age of 79 years. Born
on May 22, 1915 to Dora and James Martin
Barnes, in Mattoon, Illinois, he was the
youngest of 4 children.
Jim's college years were consumed with
playing college football, and boxing in
Golden Gloves Tournaments. He excelled
at both and left behind numerous newspaper
articles lauding his prowess on the field,
and in the boxing arena.
James married Ethel Marie Skeen on
May 8, 1937. Two children were born to
their union, first a son, Patrick, who died
shortly after birth; the second, a daughter,
Patricia. Shortly thereafter they were
transferred to Needles from Illinois when
Jim went to work for the Santa Fe Railroad
as a fireman.
During the forties Jim and Ethel operated
Jim's Cafe and cabins at Front and D Streets.
During the fifties Jim was the manager of
the Needles Dept. of Motor Vehicles. He
later became the last Justice Court Judge
in San Bernardino County, retiring in 1977.
Jim Barnes was not only a fair and impartial
judge, but a fabulous father and an awesome
husband. No man ever loved his family more
than he did. Nor did any man ever love his
many pets more than he did.
Over his lifetime Jim had a full array of
pets, starting with the Doberman pinscher he
was assigned as he worked his way through
Bradley College on the Peoria, Illinois
police force canine unit, then the horse he
had on the equine unit. After moving to
Needles he had many horses, cats, dogs,
birds and turtles at his river home.
One of Jim's biggest accomplishments was
his dogged determination to see the building
of the levee that resulted in the Needles
Lagoon. That levee serves to protect the
Mojave Village and properties both north and
south of that point from additional
catastrophic flooding like the 1951 hundred
year flood of Needles.
Another passion was his love of the Mojave
Indians. He spent a large part of his time
and energy preserving the Mojave language in
his "Mojave Language Dictionary". "That All
May Know" was another book he published to
preserve Mojave customs and stories.
James is survived by his daughter, Patricia,
son in law James Perkins of Costa Mesa,
grandson Casey Perkins of Fort Mohave,
granddaughter Vicki Schultz of Huntington
Beach, and great grandson Jason Perkins.
On December 25, 1994, James Albert
Barnes passed away in Bullhead City,
Arizona at the age of 79 years. Born
on May 22, 1915 to Dora and James Martin
Barnes, in Mattoon, Illinois, he was the
youngest of 4 children.
Jim's college years were consumed with
playing college football, and boxing in
Golden Gloves Tournaments. He excelled
at both and left behind numerous newspaper
articles lauding his prowess on the field,
and in the boxing arena.
James married Ethel Marie Skeen on
May 8, 1937. Two children were born to
their union, first a son, Patrick, who died
shortly after birth; the second, a daughter,
Patricia. Shortly thereafter they were
transferred to Needles from Illinois when
Jim went to work for the Santa Fe Railroad
as a fireman.
During the forties Jim and Ethel operated
Jim's Cafe and cabins at Front and D Streets.
During the fifties Jim was the manager of
the Needles Dept. of Motor Vehicles. He
later became the last Justice Court Judge
in San Bernardino County, retiring in 1977.
Jim Barnes was not only a fair and impartial
judge, but a fabulous father and an awesome
husband. No man ever loved his family more
than he did. Nor did any man ever love his
many pets more than he did.
Over his lifetime Jim had a full array of
pets, starting with the Doberman pinscher he
was assigned as he worked his way through
Bradley College on the Peoria, Illinois
police force canine unit, then the horse he
had on the equine unit. After moving to
Needles he had many horses, cats, dogs,
birds and turtles at his river home.
One of Jim's biggest accomplishments was
his dogged determination to see the building
of the levee that resulted in the Needles
Lagoon. That levee serves to protect the
Mojave Village and properties both north and
south of that point from additional
catastrophic flooding like the 1951 hundred
year flood of Needles.
Another passion was his love of the Mojave
Indians. He spent a large part of his time
and energy preserving the Mojave language in
his "Mojave Language Dictionary". "That All
May Know" was another book he published to
preserve Mojave customs and stories.
James is survived by his daughter, Patricia,
son in law James Perkins of Costa Mesa,
grandson Casey Perkins of Fort Mohave,
granddaughter Vicki Schultz of Huntington
Beach, and great grandson Jason Perkins.
Barnes passed away in Bullhead City,
Arizona at the age of 79 years. Born
on May 22, 1915 to Dora and James Martin
Barnes, in Mattoon, Illinois, he was the
youngest of 4 children.
Jim's college years were consumed with
playing college football, and boxing in
Golden Gloves Tournaments. He excelled
at both and left behind numerous newspaper
articles lauding his prowess on the field,
and in the boxing arena.
James married Ethel Marie Skeen on
May 8, 1937. Two children were born to
their union, first a son, Patrick, who died
shortly after birth; the second, a daughter,
Patricia. Shortly thereafter they were
transferred to Needles from Illinois when
Jim went to work for the Santa Fe Railroad
as a fireman.
During the forties Jim and Ethel operated
Jim's Cafe and cabins at Front and D Streets.
During the fifties Jim was the manager of
the Needles Dept. of Motor Vehicles. He
later became the last Justice Court Judge
in San Bernardino County, retiring in 1977.
Jim Barnes was not only a fair and impartial
judge, but a fabulous father and an awesome
husband. No man ever loved his family more
than he did. Nor did any man ever love his
many pets more than he did.
Over his lifetime Jim had a full array of
pets, starting with the Doberman pinscher he
was assigned as he worked his way through
Bradley College on the Peoria, Illinois
police force canine unit, then the horse he
had on the equine unit. After moving to
Needles he had many horses, cats, dogs,
birds and turtles at his river home.
One of Jim's biggest accomplishments was
his dogged determination to see the building
of the levee that resulted in the Needles
Lagoon. That levee serves to protect the
Mojave Village and properties both north and
south of that point from additional
catastrophic flooding like the 1951 hundred
year flood of Needles.
Another passion was his love of the Mojave
Indians. He spent a large part of his time
and energy preserving the Mojave language in
his "Mojave Language Dictionary". "That All
May Know" was another book he published to
preserve Mojave customs and stories.
James is survived by his daughter, Patricia,
son in law James Perkins of Costa Mesa,
grandson Casey Perkins of Fort Mohave,
granddaughter Vicki Schultz of Huntington
Beach, and great grandson Jason Perkins.
Inscription
A Fair and Impartial Judge
