Dean Barnes, of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 22, after a short illness. He was 71 years of age.
Dean was born in Dhahran, Saudia Arabia, to late parents, Larry Barnes, a 30-year engineer with ARAMCO, and Marion (Smith) Barnes, formerly of Keene, N.H., he resided on St. Thomas since 1979.
Dean graduated from the Dhahran School in 1967, Proctor Academy in 1970, and Syracuse University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. After two years of working a series of jobs, including on tugboats in Louisiana, Dean returned to school at New York Law, where he passed the New York Bar on his first try.
In 1979, Dean moved to St. Thomas at the recommendation of a friend, where he first worked for Attorney Maria Tankenson Hodge. During his 43-year career as an attorney on St. Thomas, he practiced privately, then with the Law Offices of Andrew Capdeville, and since 1999 served as an assistant attorney general with the V.I. Department of Justice, where his accomplishments shined in the Division of Paternity and Child Support.
In the early 1990s, and in his spare time, he resumed his love of photography and subsequently documented over 30 years of events at the St. Thomas Yacht Club, Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club and Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament.
Dean also published his works as part of hundreds of articles in local, regional, national and international publications. He was especially proud when one of his photos appeared in the Sunday New York Times. His hobbies included his computer skills, seeing friends, reading, cooking and walking the family dogs.
He was the beloved husband of Carol Bareuther of St. Thomas, USVI; the loving father of Rian Bareuther of St. Thomas, USVI; daughter Nikki Barnes Bargehr (David) of Miami, Fla.; and grandfather of Benjamin Barnes Bargehr of Miami. Barnes is also survived by his brother, Gary Barnes (Kim), of Wilmington, N.C. and sister, Lauri Barnes-Getz (Chris), of Broad Brook, Conn.
There will be a Celebration of Life in New Hampshire and St. Thomas later.
