Tuesday, Jun. 16, 2009

'He was just a flat-out character': Mourners remember Belleville soldier

Family, friends and admirers of Sgt. Franklin D. "J.R." Barnett Jr., spoke of the courage, love of life and humor of the soldier at his funeral Monday.

"He had a big heart. He had been through the test of time," said Tim Rankins, pastor of New Destiny Church in Belleville, lamenting the loss of a young man he had counseled for much of his life.

Jeff Babcock, the person who taught J.R. to juggle, called J.R. an American hero.

"He had plenty of his own challenges and then he grew up and pulled someone out of the fire," Babcock said.

Barnett, 29, of Belleville, had survived a suicide bombing attack in Afghanistan last year, pulling his lieutenant to safety despite injuries to his own lungs. He was a member of the Army National Guard, assigned to the 927th Engineer Company as a combat engineer.

When he returned to the United States, he was assigned to C Company of the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, on Oct. 15. On June 7, he was discovered dead of unknown causes in his room.

Survivors include his wife, Diane, and three sons, Dylan, 8, William, 2, and Noah, 10 months.

Barnett was accorded full military honors and an escort by the Patriot Guard with burial in Green Mount Catholic Cemetery. He was promoted posthumously to sergeant and received the Army Commendation Medal to go with his Purple Heart and other awards from his service.

The funeral service at Kurrus Funeral Home in Belleville included music, a eulogy and time for people to share their memories of J.R.

Rankins said telling all the J.R. stories would require all day but he always knew when J.R. was going to tell a good one because his big red eyebrows would always go up.

"He was just a flat-out character," Rankins said. "J.R. was a talker."

Babcock recalled tutoring J.R. and working with him as street evangelists.

"He was part of a group of poor kids who learned to do the impossible giving street shows to minister for Jesus," he said. "He was the red-headed, freckled kid with the wisecracks. I know he would be in the back mocking this service if he could. He had a great sense of humor."