Obituary for Charles “Chuck” Barnes

Charles Edward “Chuck” Barnes, 82, of Anamosa, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at UnityPoint St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. In accordance with his wishes, Chuck was cremated. 

Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at St. Isidore Church in Springville, Iowa. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by Mass at 11:00 a.m. Burial will take place immediately following Mass at Springville Cemetery. A luncheon will follow the burial at St. Isidore Church.

Chuck was born on June 15, 1944, in Strawberry Point, Iowa, to Jim and Dorothy Barnes. Chuck graduated from Springville High School in 1962. In 1965, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary. Shortly after their marriage, Chuck purchased a building in Cedar Rapids, moved it to Springville, and opened Chuck’s Service Station, a full-service Standard Station. During this same time, Mary opened Dairy Treats in the neighboring building, serving ice cream to the community. The business eventually grew into a café. Together, Chuck and Mary built a life centered on family, hard work, and community, raising their four children.

Chuck later made a career change and joined Rockwell Collins as a security guard. After 20 years of service, he retired, having spent much of his career at the airport near the Collins hangar. One particularly memorable experience was serving on the security team assigned to guard Air Force One.

Retirement did not slow Chuck down. He continued working alongside Mary as they opened a Paul Revere’s Pizza business, which eventually expanded to four locations. One of those locations was in Anamosa, where they purchased a home and made the community their own. Chuck also worked for the City of Anamosa in the water department and drove a school bus, two jobs he truly enjoyed. He continued in both roles until retiring at the age of 80. One of his favorite memories as a bus driver was becoming a Raider Super Fan when the basketball team made it to the state tournament.

While Chuck held many jobs throughout his life, his true passion, aside from his family, was firefighting. He began his firefighting career in Springville at just 14 years old and continued serving his communities for an extraordinary 67 years, retiring from the Anamosa Fire Department at the age of 81. Throughout his distinguished career, Chuck served as assistant chief in both Springville and Anamosa, chief of the Anamosa Fire Department, dedicating much of his life to protecting others and serving the communities he loved.

Chuck’s dedication and bravery were recognized throughout his career. In 1971, he received the Ben Franklin Citation of Merit Award for Heroic Life-Saving Action. In 2009, he was honored as Iowa Fire Fighter of the Year. 

Above all, Chuck cherished his family and the life he and Mary built together. His legacy is one of devotion to family, pride in his work, and an unwavering commitment to helping others. From his early days in Springville to his many years serving Anamosa, Chuck made a lasting impact on the people and communities around him.

Chuck is survived by his beloved wife, Mary; his children, Kevin (Karla) Barnes, Kurt (Kris) Barnes, Kent (Nichole) Barnes, and Karla (James) Eischeid; and his grandchildren, Spencer (Kendra) Barnes, Sydney (Kyle) Sayre, Olivia (Edward) Dillett, Nathan and Logan Eischeid, Alexa, Lindsay, Ansley, Emma, Elena Elias, Cecelia, Josie, and Isaac Barnes; and six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Bill (Marlene) Barnes; brother-in-law, Tim Blanchard; several nieces and nephews; and many members of the Zellers family, his in-laws who held a special place in his heart.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Dorothy Barnes, and his sister, Marilyn Blanchard.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Anamosa Fire Department.