Nona Lee Barnett – December 21, 2012


Nona Lee Barnett, 89, of Amarillo died Friday, December 21, 2012.
Services will be at 3:00 p.m., Thursday, December 27, 2012, at Boxwell Brothers Ivy Chapel, 2800 Paramount Blvd., with Paul Frederiksen, Director of Worship and Care Ministry with First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Private burial was held at Llano Cemetery on Saturday, December 22, 2012.  Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount Blvd.
Nona was born October 2, 1923, in Briscoe County, Texas, to Andrew Lee and Pattie S. Deavenport.  She graduated from Silverton High School and attended Abilene Christian College and West Texas State College.  She married Arley Lee Barnett on December 31, 1943.  The second of five children, Nona grew up on the family farm outside Silverton, Texas in a strong Christian family.  She grew up playing hymns on the piano on Sunday nights while her father, Lee, directed the church assembly at Rock Creek Church of Christ, located between Tulia and Silverton.  A longtime member of Central Church of Christ, she spent her later years at Paramount Terrace Christian Church.
West Texas State University, a part of the Texas A&M University System, presented the Presidential Award of Merit to Nona in recognition of outstanding service and leadership on December 18, 1992.  Her philanthropy and volunteer activities were centered on the arts in the Texas Panhandle and WTAMU.
Nona served on many boards notably, WTAMU Foundation, WTAMU Shared Visions Campaign, Opportunity Foundation Plan for WTAMU, Art Force, the Art Alliance at AMoA, Lone Star Ballet, Inc., Amarillo Symphony Inc., Amarillo Symphony Guild, Amarillo Christian School, and the YWCO.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Arley Lee Barnett; a son, Ronald Lee Barnett; and two siblings, Corine Jarrett Harper and Joe Earl Deavenport.
Survivors include a son, Dana Lynn Barnett; a daughter, Linda Ann Williams and husband Dale; five grandchildren, Amanda Kelleher and husband Brian, Dana Walton and husband Richard all of Amarillo, Jonathan Barnett and Paul Barnett of Denver, Colorado ,  Nicholas Barnett of Arlington, Texas; and four great-grandchildren, Deaven Kelleher, Callie Kelleher, Brenna Kelleher and Linus Walton; a sister, JoyeBelle Kelly and her husband Charles of Muskogee, Oklahoma,  and a brother, Roy Lynn Deavenport of Middleton, Rhode Island.
The family would like to thank the nurses and caregivers at Ware Living Center and BSA Hospice, along with Melody Whitely, for their gracious and loving care of Nona.
In lieu of flowers, the family would suggest donations be given to Opportunity School, 1100 S. Harrison, Amarillo, TX 79101.
The family will receive friends following the memorial service at Boxwell Brother’s funeral home.

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