By Haley Sue Harbison and Katy Beth Boyers
On February 22, 2021, the world lost Jim Barnette, an amazing husband, father, professor, pastor and friend. Barnette, a Samford alumnus himself, served the university from 1994 to January of this year, with his focus being the students. He truly made his mark on the Samford community as a whole as well as the congregation of Brookwood Baptist Church. He will be lovingly remembered for his wisdom, love, and juggling performances during his sermons.
Our sympathies to the Barnette family and those who will forever be changed by the life of James Barnette. May his legacy live on forever.
“Over the past four years, Dr. B has continuously called things out in me that I didn’t see in myself, from my writing skills and my empathy in others, he has continuously lifted every single one of us in some way.”
Kelsey Richardson, Samford Preministerial Scholar student during memorial service
The legacy of Dr. Barnette will forever live on through the impact he has made on the lives of students, now around the world. Another way his legacy will live on is through the Dr. James Barnette Endowed Scholarship.
“When we were discussing what we could do to honor his legacy this is one of the things that came up and most of us. I think all of us were extremely enthusiastic about it because it was a way of saying we can carry on in some way his affect on students even if it’s just through a scholarship,” James Strange said. “His focus was so clearly on students and mentoring them and teaching them. We thought this is really a perfect way of doing that.”
“The [Preministerial Scholars], all the students that were in this program that he helped direct, are completely changed by the way that he lived his life and just helped us in terms of ministry opportunities and all different kinds of things… Dr. Barnette left a legacy of encouragement and hospitality toward all the students he interacted with. Everyone who knew him was better off for it and he was just always a great part of any room he was in.”
John Pawlick, Samford University student
“He always demonstrated great compassion for students, for families, for the plights that some had and decisions some people were making so I think its safe to say that in conversation you always left those conversation feeling better about who you were and about who God was and then how he would then carry that out to then help students along the way.”
Phil Kimrey, Vice President for Student Affairs, Samford University
“My memory is just filled with the good encounters with him in the hallways in his office standing in the doorways chatting with him or him standing in my doorway chatting with me, lunches in the Caf on Fridays. I don’t think any particular moment but just a host of very fond memories.”
James Strange, Charles Jackson Granade and Elizabeth Donald Granade Professor in New Testament, Samford University
“He saw the best in people, and believed it to be true before they did. He had an ability to name it and inspire individuals to go after it. He really is the reason why I’m at Samford.”
April Robinson, Assistant Vice President of Student Development and Support
