The Barnes Couple, I met as a boy
Often our hay and straw didn’t last all winter on the dairy I grew up on in Farmington. We would buy it from local farmers to make it through winter. One of the places my father took me to get pick up loads of hay and straw was that owned by Rulon and Emily Barnes in West Kaysville. Dad loved this couple and I could see why. They were smiling, happy and joy filled – I could recognize this even at my young age. Rulon would come and visit with dad while I pushed hay down onto the truck from Rulon’s barn and dad would stack it. One day dad told me that Rulon and Emily were in the process of donating a large part of their farm to Kaysville City. Emily wanted a safe place for the children of Kaysville in which they could play. I asked about whether they had had sons that wanted to farm. That is when my dad told me about the Barnes’ story.
On March 21, 1947 6 children were packed into the back seat of a sedan to return from a movie in Layton including all 3 of the Barnes’ children: Harold (14), Sterling (10) and David Barnes (6). The driver’s vision of the south bound freight train was blocked by cargo cars stacked by the tracks. All 6 children in the back seat were killed. Harold and Emily never blamed the driver. Harold and Emily had already lost an infant boy and were unable to have more children but focused instead on the children around them in their neighborhood, ward and community. Their love was reciprocated back to them from the children. It was said that there rarely was an event or activity with children that Harold and Emily didn’t attend and support. They were joyful, smiling and and kind. I am grateful that I met them and knew of them.
When President Ballard gave his talk in last conference on “Joy and Spiritual Survival” I thought of the Rulon and Emily as he said, “…we can feel joy regardless of what is happening”. The next day I took my walk at Barnes park and thought of these good people who have now blessed my children and grandchildren with their generosity and example.