Rev. William "Bill" Barner

Reverend William “Bill” Barner, age 80 of Dublin, entered into eternal rest with His Lord and Savior on Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Visitation will be Friday, August 2nd from 6-8 pm at Townsend Brothers Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at Marie Baptist Church, Dublin on Saturday, August 3rd at 11 am. Revs. Randy Tate and Bobby Hutto will officiate. He was the son of the late Lucy Taylor Barner and Hurley Jefferson Barner of Guyton, GA. Bill attended Effingham County Schools, Brewton-Parker College, and Mercer University, graduating in 1961.

Bill accepted God’s call to preach the Gospel at age 11, and during his senior year of high school and his first year at Brewton-Parker, he preached at various churches in southeast GA. He was ordained to the Gospel Ministry in 1958 and pastored several churches in GA and in Indiana. In 1977, he was called by the Ohio Baptist Convention to be Director of Associational Missions in Buckeye Central Association and later in the Great Columbus Baptist Association. In 1987, he was enlisted to the Home Mission Board, SBC which later became the North American Mission Board. He worked in the church loans division as a loan officer, then as Director of Loan Production and Church Finance at NAMB. During the pastoral years, Bill served in various capacities in the Baptist associations of which he was a part, as well as Vice President, recording secretary, and clerk of the Executive Board of the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana. He wrote Sunday School lessons for Indiana Baptist State newspaper and articles related to the work of the Loans Division at NAMB. During his years of work as Director of Mission, loan officer, and in his retirement, Bill was interim pastor of several churches, a couple of which he severed twice. In 2014, he received an Honorary Doctorate, Divinity from Brewton-Parker College.

Preceding him in death in addition to his parents were his sisters, Geraldine Latham and husband Buddy, JoAnn Smith and husband Ed, Melinda Heidt, and Priscilla Burnsed, as well as an infant brother. Surviving are his wife of 54 years, Kay Dominy Barner, son Bryan W. Barner and wife Karen of Concord, GA, daughter Melanie Taylor and husband JT of Dudley, GA, and Shanna Barner of Dublin, GA, brother-in-law Charlie Heidt of Guyton, GA, grandchildren Jordan Taylor (Katye), Jacob New (Kayla), Kian Taylor, Zachery Barner (Whitney), Ethan Barner, Daniel Barner, and Bethany Barner, seven great granddaughters, and two great grandsons, along with several nieces and nephews. Bill loved to fish and tinker with lawnmowers and cars. He enjoyed taking is grandchildren fishing when he was able.

Special thanks to Integrity Hospice and April Biggins for the wonderful care they provided in the past months. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Gideons International or to the Marie Baptist Church Youth Program. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rev. William "Bill" Barner, please visit our floral store.