Evelyn E. Barner passed away on January 29, 2011 at St. Mary's Hospital, Reno, NV with her loving family by her side. She was born Evelyn Emma Jenness on May 12, 1926 in Burke, Gregory Co, SD. As a young girl she moved with her family to California. In 1947, she moved to Edwards Air Force Base, in Muroc, California. She worked as a Data Analyst in the X-1 Program - the very same program when Chuck Yeager broke flight speed records and the sound barrier. Evelyn remained in the aerospace industry where she met and married the love of her life Robert "Bob" Barner in 1964. After her marriage to Bob, she left aerospace and pursued a career in the real estate business, eventually becoming a real estate broker. In 1978, she and Bob opened Barner Realty together in Palmdale, California. Throughout her real estate career, she received many awards and accomplished many goals, most notably, she established the Palmdale Association of Realtors where she served on the Association in many capacities. Both Evelyn and Bob made many lifelong friends through their aerospace and real estate careers. In 1993, retirement took them to Klamath Falls, OR on the shores of beautiful Klamath Lake. They selected Klamath Falls for its strategic location in the West equally spaced in between all of their children. The beautiful lake and large home allowed Evelyn and Bob to welcome many visitors, host family holidays and summer reunions. In Oregon, they continued making great friends, loved their community and the people at Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church. In 2002, they moved to Sparks, Nevada to be close to family. Until her death, Evelyn remained very active in her community and continued to make many dear friends at the Spanish Springs Presbyterian Church. Evelyn loved to write poetry, travel, garden and especially to care for the finches and quail in her backyard. She always lived by the motto "It Feels So Good To Laugh," a motto her family continues to live by. Throughout her life her positive attitude and goal-setting abilities remained an awesome example of how she lived her life to the fullest every single day. She will be deeply missed by all. Evelyn's brother, Walter Jenness and her husband, Bob, preceded her in death. She is survived by her sister Rose Millar, Solvang CA; children: Ann (Wayne) Burch, Fresno, CA, Linda Pickrell, Sparks, NV, Bruce (Karla) Barner, Westlake Village, CA and Cathy Carter, Oklahoma City, OK. Known as "B" to many of her grandchildren: Melanie (Patric) Nielson, Sparks, NV, Debbie (Bob) DeRuse, Reno, NV, Marie (Antonio) Contino, Fresno, CA, Rob Balucas, Walnut Creek, CA and Corrine, Travis, and Hillary Barner of Westlake Village, CA; and her great-grandchildren, Megan Nielson, Samuel DeRuse and Giulio Contino. She said many times, they were "pure perfection" in her eyes. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews who were extremely close and very dear to her heart.
Interment will be at a later date in Lancaster, California.