Joan McKee Barnes, of Bainbridge Island, died early morning on May 22nd, 2010 following a long battle with emphysema and dementia.

She was born in San Francisco on September 29, 1920, lived in Rio de Janero from 1924 until 1933 and graduated from Catlin School in Portland in 1939. After attending Sarah Lawrence College she graduated from Stanford with an A.B. in Science in 1942 and continued on getting her Masters in Biochemistry from University of Oregon Medical School during the war.

Joan married Douglas Barclay Barnes in Portland on January 4th, 1947. After a short time in Portland, OR and Montana they settled on Bainbridge Island, WA in 1954 to raise their family. Doug was a successful businessman and Joan followed her heart into social services. She and the family also followed Doug when his business took him to Yokohama, Japan from 1958 – 1960.

She was part of Junior League and was a Girl Scout leader. The daughters were all involved in Pony Club so you could always find Joan holding a horse or sitting in the grandstands cheering them on.

It was clear to her in the early 1960s that the migrant worker’s children needed somewhere to go while their parents were picking berries so Joan helped to start a Head Start program on Bainbridge.

A few years later Joan, Corinne Berg and Joan Holcomb co-founded Fishline which later became Help Line House on Bainbridge a combination of food, clothing, financial and emotional support for the needy in the area. She spent many years heading up the volunteers that staffed Help Line and doing everything she could to help it be a success.

Joan put her science training to use by starting a math and science tutoring program at Commodore Middle School. She was also an active member of St. Barnabas Church from 1961 until she entered Messenger House in 2005 serving on many committees and as Senior Warden.

Joan is survived by her sister, Candace Ashmun (Charles) of New Jersey; sister-in-law Sally McKee of California; her three daughters Candace King (Dan Allnoch) of Manzanillo, Mexico, Dorothy Timma (Chris) and Ellen Green (Robert) of Bainbridge Island; her four grandsons Joseph (Scott) King, Douglas Green, Michael Green and Jason Hebert; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at St. Barnabas Church on Bainbridge Island, WA on Sunday, August 1st at 3pm. All are welcome.

Remembrances may be made to Help Line House in Joan’s name.

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