Dr.
Dr. William H. Barney
Dr. William H. Barney of Lynchburg died Monday, February 21, 2011 after a short illness. He was 88. Dr. Barney was the husband of Vivian Edmondson Barney, the love of his life, for 52 years.
Dr. Barney was born May 22, 1922 at Wardensville, West Virginia, the son of the late Dr. and Mrs. Quintus Harper Barney of Altavista. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three sons, William Harper Barney, Jr. (Debby) of Richmond, David Edmondson Barney (Susan) of Lynchburg, and Richard Scott Barney (Debbie) of Columbia, South Carolina. He also leaves six cherished grandchildren, Anna Kristen Barney and William Harper Barney, III of Richmond, David Edmondson Barney, Jr. and Andrew Wright Barney of Lynchburg, and Darthie Addair Barney and Karen Elizabeth Barney of Columbia, as well as many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Richard Files Barney (Dorothy) of Richmond, Virginia.
Dr. Barney received his primary education in the public schools of Virginia and was graduated from Randolph-Macon Academy. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America and was proud to have attended the National Jamboree in Washington, DC in 1937, where he heard President Roosevelt speak. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry at Randolph-Macon College and an M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia. After an internship and residency at Lewis-Gale hospital in Roanoke, he entered the United States Medical Corps and served at Brook Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas and as a specialist in tuberculosis at Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado. Following his discharge as Captain, he returned to MCV to complete his residency in Internal Medicine.
He entered private practice in Lynchburg in 1951 and continued until his retirement in September 1990. After closing his practice, he served as Medical Consultant to First Colony Life Insurance Company.
Dr. Barney was a member and past president of the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine, a member and past president of the Medical Society of Virginia, member of the American Medical Association, the American Society of Internal Medicine, and the American Thoracic Society. He was a past president of the Piedmont Heart Association and was medical advisor to the School of Respiratory Therapy at Central Virginia Community College. In 1968, Dr. Barney became the first physician to be appointed to the Board of Directors of Lynchburg General Hospital serving until 1988. He was a member of the Liaison Committee with the Board of Virginia Baptist Hospital which was instrumental in the merger of the two hospitals. He also chaired a special committee which developed the program of full time physician coverage of the Lynchburg General Hospital Emergency Room.
Dr. Barney was a Delegate from the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine to the Medical Society of Virginia for many years and served on a number of committees. He was the developer and first Chairman of the Physicians Health and Effectiveness Committee, a program designed to identify and rehabilitate physicians impaired by substance abuse or mental illness. This program became the model for similar state Medical Societies throughout the nation.
In 1985, Dr. Barney was elected Speaker of the House of Delegates of the Medical Society of Virginia, serving until 1989, when he was named President-Elect and became President in 1990. Following his term as President of the Society, he served for three years as president of the Medical Society of Virginia Research and Education Foundation.
He was active in civic affairs, serving on the Boards of the Greater Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce, Lynchburg Junior Achievement, Meals on Wheels, and the Sheltered Workshop. He served on the Allocations Committee of the United Way. Dr. Barney was a member of the Host Lynchburg Lions Club, a Mason, a Shriner and served as Exalted Ruler of Lynchburg Lodge of Elks in 1958. He was a member of the Patrick Henry Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, Military Order of World Wars, and Boonsboro Country Club.
In 1958, Dr. Barney was named Outstanding Young Man of the Year by the Lynchburg Junior Chamber of Commerce and received the Brotherhood Citation of the Lynchburg Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews in 1982. He was a member of the Lynchburg School Board from 1977 until 1984 and served as Vice Chairman during the last three years of his tenure. He was a member and past president of the SPHEX Club.
Dr. Barney had a great interest in the local sports community and was the first Medical Director of the Virginia Ten Miler in 1974. Following a race in which many runners suffered from heat illnesses, he travelled to Boston to observe the medical team at the famed Boston Marathon and brought the practices he learned there to Lynchburg\"™s race.
In 1998, the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine established an award named in Dr. Barney\"™s honor. The \"William H. Barney Distinguished Service Award,\" is presented annually to a Lynchburg area physician who has made outstanding contributions to Medicine and to his community.
At an early age, Dr. Barney became interested in magic, and it was a life-long hobby for him. He was a member of the Hill City Magicos and the Society of American Magicians. He had an avid interest in water sports and recreation and was president of the original Lynchburg \"" Smith Mountain Camp Homeowners Association, which developed a community of Lynchburg residents at the lake in 1965.
The grandson of a Lutheran Pastor, Dr. Barney was a life-long Lutheran and had been a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church since 1951. He sang in the choir and served on Church Council and as President of the Congregation. He also chaired the Organ Task Group which, in 1990, installed the custom-built Taylor-Boody Tracker organ in the church.
The family will receive friends at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Thursday, February 24, 2011 from 5pm to 7pm. Inurnment will take place in a private ceremony at the church columbarium. A service to celebrate the life of Dr. Barney will be held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Friday, February 25, 2011, at 2pm, conducted by Pastor Dennis Roberts.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Endowment Fund, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1000 Langhorne Road, Lynchburg, Virginia, 24503.
Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family, 434-237-9424. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.obituaries.tharpfuneralhome.com.
Dr. Barney was born May 22, 1922 at Wardensville, West Virginia, the son of the late Dr. and Mrs. Quintus Harper Barney of Altavista. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three sons, William Harper Barney, Jr. (Debby) of Richmond, David Edmondson Barney (Susan) of Lynchburg, and Richard Scott Barney (Debbie) of Columbia, South Carolina. He also leaves six cherished grandchildren, Anna Kristen Barney and William Harper Barney, III of Richmond, David Edmondson Barney, Jr. and Andrew Wright Barney of Lynchburg, and Darthie Addair Barney and Karen Elizabeth Barney of Columbia, as well as many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Richard Files Barney (Dorothy) of Richmond, Virginia.
Dr. Barney received his primary education in the public schools of Virginia and was graduated from Randolph-Macon Academy. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America and was proud to have attended the National Jamboree in Washington, DC in 1937, where he heard President Roosevelt speak. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry at Randolph-Macon College and an M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia. After an internship and residency at Lewis-Gale hospital in Roanoke, he entered the United States Medical Corps and served at Brook Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas and as a specialist in tuberculosis at Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado. Following his discharge as Captain, he returned to MCV to complete his residency in Internal Medicine.
He entered private practice in Lynchburg in 1951 and continued until his retirement in September 1990. After closing his practice, he served as Medical Consultant to First Colony Life Insurance Company.
Dr. Barney was a member and past president of the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine, a member and past president of the Medical Society of Virginia, member of the American Medical Association, the American Society of Internal Medicine, and the American Thoracic Society. He was a past president of the Piedmont Heart Association and was medical advisor to the School of Respiratory Therapy at Central Virginia Community College. In 1968, Dr. Barney became the first physician to be appointed to the Board of Directors of Lynchburg General Hospital serving until 1988. He was a member of the Liaison Committee with the Board of Virginia Baptist Hospital which was instrumental in the merger of the two hospitals. He also chaired a special committee which developed the program of full time physician coverage of the Lynchburg General Hospital Emergency Room.
Dr. Barney was a Delegate from the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine to the Medical Society of Virginia for many years and served on a number of committees. He was the developer and first Chairman of the Physicians Health and Effectiveness Committee, a program designed to identify and rehabilitate physicians impaired by substance abuse or mental illness. This program became the model for similar state Medical Societies throughout the nation.
In 1985, Dr. Barney was elected Speaker of the House of Delegates of the Medical Society of Virginia, serving until 1989, when he was named President-Elect and became President in 1990. Following his term as President of the Society, he served for three years as president of the Medical Society of Virginia Research and Education Foundation.
He was active in civic affairs, serving on the Boards of the Greater Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce, Lynchburg Junior Achievement, Meals on Wheels, and the Sheltered Workshop. He served on the Allocations Committee of the United Way. Dr. Barney was a member of the Host Lynchburg Lions Club, a Mason, a Shriner and served as Exalted Ruler of Lynchburg Lodge of Elks in 1958. He was a member of the Patrick Henry Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, Military Order of World Wars, and Boonsboro Country Club.
In 1958, Dr. Barney was named Outstanding Young Man of the Year by the Lynchburg Junior Chamber of Commerce and received the Brotherhood Citation of the Lynchburg Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews in 1982. He was a member of the Lynchburg School Board from 1977 until 1984 and served as Vice Chairman during the last three years of his tenure. He was a member and past president of the SPHEX Club.
Dr. Barney had a great interest in the local sports community and was the first Medical Director of the Virginia Ten Miler in 1974. Following a race in which many runners suffered from heat illnesses, he travelled to Boston to observe the medical team at the famed Boston Marathon and brought the practices he learned there to Lynchburg\"™s race.
In 1998, the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine established an award named in Dr. Barney\"™s honor. The \"William H. Barney Distinguished Service Award,\" is presented annually to a Lynchburg area physician who has made outstanding contributions to Medicine and to his community.
At an early age, Dr. Barney became interested in magic, and it was a life-long hobby for him. He was a member of the Hill City Magicos and the Society of American Magicians. He had an avid interest in water sports and recreation and was president of the original Lynchburg \"" Smith Mountain Camp Homeowners Association, which developed a community of Lynchburg residents at the lake in 1965.
The grandson of a Lutheran Pastor, Dr. Barney was a life-long Lutheran and had been a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church since 1951. He sang in the choir and served on Church Council and as President of the Congregation. He also chaired the Organ Task Group which, in 1990, installed the custom-built Taylor-Boody Tracker organ in the church.
The family will receive friends at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Thursday, February 24, 2011 from 5pm to 7pm. Inurnment will take place in a private ceremony at the church columbarium. A service to celebrate the life of Dr. Barney will be held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Friday, February 25, 2011, at 2pm, conducted by Pastor Dennis Roberts.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Endowment Fund, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1000 Langhorne Road, Lynchburg, Virginia, 24503.
Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family, 434-237-9424. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.obituaries.tharpfuneralhome.com.
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