Brad Barnes

Brad Barnes, just 1 month away from his 65th birthday, passed away quietly at Hope & A Future on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. He was born August 29, 1960, in Lafayette, Indiana to Robert and Bettye (Burrell) Barnes. Despite the doctor’s suggestion to ‘put him away’ because of his Down syndrome diagnosis, they took one nurse’s advice to ‘just take him home and love him’! Brad had physical challenges, including rheumatic fever at age 5 and a hip replacement at age 15 and again at 33, but he persevered and became an elite swimmer in the Special Olympics. He received a gold medal in the Butterfly just one year after learning the stroke and has been awarded too many medals to count in Freestyle, Butterfly, Backstroke and many relays in the Special Olympics, where he also qualified for State and was recommended for National and International competitions. He also competed in Bocce ball and maybe his all-time favorite, Bowling. He and his buddies, Ron and Pat, had the best time on Wednesday nights!

Brad graduated from Riverdale High School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He worked at McDonalds and Burger King, ushered at Blackhawk Church, and even did some data entry before he retired. His true identity falls in the lines of emotional discernment – he was the best hugger around and always knew when you needed one! He loved movies, books (he had stacks of them!), cemeteries, musicals, 80’s sitcoms, dancing, the Packers, burgers and fries, ketchup and time with his retired coach Steve Mueller, family and friends. Some of the best years of Brad’s life have been since 2016 when he and his mom moved into the Adult Family Home, Hope & A Future. This Therapeutic Interactive Intergenerational Home has loved him and helped him get healthy and live his best life. The Barnes family is forever indebted to all the sta@ and workers there, who showed up to serve and live with him every day.

Brad is survived by his sisters, Becky Reinalda (husband Jim and children, Neal, Owen (Elise), Ford, Linc, and Hoyt), Bobbe Nixon (husband Dean and children Drew (Bree), Zach, and Abbe), and his brother Brian (husband Eric). Brad was preceded in death by his parents, Bob, who he a@ectionately called ‘Mr. Professor’, and Bettye, ‘Mother Goose’.

The most significant thing Brad did was when he received Jesus Christ as his Savior. He understood that God wanted a relationship with him and because of that we know that he will spend eternity in heaven and is already there with his mom and dad. His life verse was Philippians 4:4 ‘Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice’ and that is what he did! In lieu of flowers, please find someone you care about and give them a good long hug. 

Also donate to Hope and A Future – they’re trying to fund a new facility as they become a benchmark for intergenerational communities – check them out at Hope & A Future.

You can share memories of Brad in the Cress Guestbook or come to his celebration of life to be held at Hope & A Future the end of August.

Cress Center

6021 University Ave. Madison

(608) 238-8406