Obituary of Robert Barnett

South Westerlo: Robert V. Barnett, Jr. (88) passed away at the home of his daughter in South Westerlo, NY on June 29, 2011. Robert (Bob) was born in Noblesville, Indiana, on June 8, 1923, to Robert V. Barnett, Sr., and Henrietta Van Zee Barnett. Shortly thereafter the family moved to Rushville, Indiana where Bob resided the majority of his life. His father founded the Hoosier Dairy on Morgan Street in Rushville and Bob grew up riding on the milk truck with his father picking up fresh milk at local farms. He served in all areas of the business, helping with delivery of milk bottles and cases to homes, local markets, and restaurants. Other interests included playing the French horn in the Rushville High School Band, but his favorite activity was playing high school football. In the fall of 1941, Bob enrolled as a freshman at Hanover College in Madison, Indiana where he studied until early 1943, when he voluntarily enlisted in the Army Air Corps. For the next three years he served as a celestial navigation trainer at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. In addition, he played football for the Barksdale Field Sky Raiders. After receiving an honorable discharge from the military in 1946, Bob resumed his studies at Hanover College, graduating with a major in business. He also played tackle and served as captain of the Hanover Panthers football team. It was there he met Betty Dean Bullock of Louisville, Kentucky and they were married on October 12, 1948. After graduation, Bob returned to Rushville and renewed his business partnership with his father. In the late 1940s Hoosier Dairy became a distributorship for Borden's milk products and Bob served as the manager of the company. Bob took over complete operation of the business upon his father's death in 1974. In 1979 he sold Hoosier Dairy and became a sales representative for Borden's Dairy Products in Indianapolis, In. He retired in 1989 and he and Betty bought a motor home. They spent the next several years visiting their children and traveling around the country. A highlight of this period of his life was a visit to Alaska with his brother John on the occasion of the presentation of the family Masonic apron to his nephew Chris. Bob and Betty moved to South Westerlo, New York, to be near their daughter Jane Scrafford in 1996. They became active members of the United Methodist Church in Norton Hill NY. After Betty's death in July 2007, Bob moved into the Scrafford home where he resided until his death. In addition to being a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, Bob was an active member of the Rushville Kiwanis Club and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was also a Mason in the Scottish Rite for 63 years. Bob was appointed to the Rushville Consolidated School Board where he served as both secretary and president during a 4 year term. In addition to his wife Betty of fifty-nine years, Bob was predeceased by his brother, John Paul Barnett, his brother-in-law, Marlan Thorpe, and his granddaughter, Sarah Prevost. He is survived by his sister, Mary Jane Thorpe, of Rushville, Indiana; his daughters: Dean Ann (Stephen) Fowler, of Brookfield, Connecticut; Jane (Bill) Scrafford, of South Westerlo, New York; and Martha (Douglas) Hodges, of Manchester, Tennessee; his grandchildren: Robert (Jennifer) Scrafford, of Baltimore, Maryland; Police Sergeant Elizabeth Scrafford, of Plymouth, New Hampshire; Charles Prevost, of San Diego, California; James (Harmony) Fowler, of Mason, New Hampshire; and Airman First Class Mark Hodges, of Bury St. Edmund, England; and three great-grandchildren. Also surviving are adopted grandchild Brian (Tara) Hostash, of Middleburgh, New York, and their two children. Funeral service will be 10AM Sat. July 2, 2011 at the Greenville-Norton Hill U.M.C. in Norton Hill, NY. Friends may call at the Cunningham Funeral Home, 4898 SR81, Greenville, NY on Fri. July 1, from 5 to 8PM. Those who wish to remember Robert in a special way may contribute in his memory to the Greenville-Norton Hill U.M.C. Memorial Fund or to the Community Hospice of Albany. Light a Candle at ajcunninghamfh.com.