Obituary of Patricia Crockett Barnes

Tenants Harbor — Patricia Ann Crockett Inman Barnes, 71, known to all as Trish, died peacefully at home Jan. 22, 2015, surrounded by her loving family. We have lost a truly wonderful person. She enlivened every space she entered with her beauty, her warm smile and her sparkling eyes that shone with such love and care and thoughtfulness, and a wonderful sense of fun. Talented in so many ways, she created beauty wherever she went. Energetic and funny, honest and compassionate, she always had a kind thought and gesture for everyone, always thinking of that one last thing that no one else would think of that would make something perfect. A great loss, not just to us, but the whole world. Trish was born in Norfolk, Va., July 1,1943, where her father was a Navy pilot. For her first 10 years of her life, the family traveled with her father’s career and then settled in Arlington Heights, Ill. Always with a rascally sense of humor, she was the most popular kid in her class. She graduated from Miami University of Ohio, where she was an art education major. She later did art therapy in the children’s ward of Brigham and Women’s hospital in Boston for several years until the birth of her first son, David G. Inman, in 1969. The second of her beloved sons, Larsen R. Inman, was born in 1972. Trish and her first husband, Robert Inman, moved to the Philadelphia area in 1975. Although she was always facile in many art forms, her first love was clay. When she and their young family settled in Swarthmore, Pa., she was jury-selected for membership in The Potters Guild, a remarkable organization that is still going strong after 50 years. She worked alone until 1982, when she went into business with Stephen N. Barnes. She and her beloved Steve were joined in marriage in 1985. They ran Noble Clay, working side by side for 30 years, until 1990 in Swarthmore, and from 1990 until January of 2014 in Tenants Harbor. Her greatest joy of the last 12 years was the happy marriages of her sons and the births of her grandchildren. Larsen was married to Alicia in April of 2002 and David was married to Peggy in June of 2002. Lars and Alicia live in Boulder, Colo., and have two wonderful daughters, Sydney, 10, and Allie, 8. Dave and Peggy live in Needham, Mass., with their energetic and loving Jack, 4. Her spectacular daughters-in-law, Alicia and Peggy, became as dear to Trish’s heart as were her sons. Trish was predeceased by her father, Lewis David Crockett. She is survived by her mother, Winifred S. Crockett, of Tenants Harbor; her loving and devoted husband, Stephen N. Barnes, also of Tenants Harbor; and her three siblings, Catherine C. Schaller of Asheville, N.C., David M. Crockett and his wife, Martha, of Canton, Ga.; and Wayne P. Crockett and his wife, Peggy, of Tenants Harbor; her nieces and nephews Bart Schaller, Erin Schaller, Sara Vinson, Matt Crockett, Jessica Rousseau and Jamie Crockett, Kirsten Basch, David Anderson, Amy Parker and Matt Parker. And by Steve’s sisters Abby Anderson and Ginny Parker, and his brother-in-law, Fritz Parker. She also leaves behind a multitude of loving friends, far and wide. There is a celebration of her life and memorial service being planned for this summer. For the last 10-1/2 years Trish battled heroically with a rare cancer called GIST (gastrointestinal stromal tumor). Please make any contributions in memory of Patricia C. Barnes and send them by mail to: GIST Cancer Research Fund(GCRF), 55 Sawmill Rd., New City, NY 10956.