December 13, 1949 – April 13, 2023
Michael Stark Barnes was born on December 13, 1949 (his mother’s birthday) in Santa Monica, California to Clement and Marjorie Barnes. He grew up in Fullerton, California where he became the quintessential Surfer Dude. The beach was always his happy place. After high school, he attended Cal Poly Pomona and graduated with a BS in Aerospace Engineering in 1972 (he was fond of saying that he “took up space in college.”).
Mike worked for Westinghouse in the Power Systems Industry selling turbine generators and nuclear steam supply systems which brought him to Salt Lake City, and his first visit to Park City, in 1975. That visit turned out to be a life changing event as he permanently relocated that year and became a full-time Park City resident. The character of Park City was much different in 1975. Deer Valley was just on the drawing board, not opening until 1981. Park City Mountain Resort was still small with only a handful of two-seater lifts and one gondola. The Canyons area was a small, mainly locals ski area then known as Park West.
Mike recognized the potential of Park City as a world class ski destination, so he started in real estate. Mike worked on various projects in the Park City area for nearly 30 years, including Ridgeview, Solamere, Silver Springs, Main Street Mall, La Maconniere, Northshore, Southshore, Southridge, Pinebrook Cottages, Glenwild, Blackhawk Station, Spring Creek and Trout Creek. Mike befriended people all over town wherever he went, and used his charm and wit to get deals done and make everyone happy in the process (as best as any Real Estate Developer could). He was masterful in working with landowners and ranchers in a collaborative way that benefited their families and his development company. His final real estate project took him to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where he worked on Las Palmas.
But more important to him than any of the commercial and residential projects he worked on was his instrumental role in building two Christian churches in Park City: Park City Community Church and Creekside Christian Fellowship. He oversaw the construction of Park City Community Church and helped start Creekside Christian Fellowship, where he later became an Associate Pastor. He gave generously of his time and resources in providing places of worship and community in Park City. Mike was also one of the early leaders of a Friday Men’s Bible Study group that started in 1997, which he co-taught for over 15 years. He loved to share his faith and love for Jesus with people wherever he went. He officiated over 80 weddings, including his daughter’s. Mike was full of life and his love for Christ was readily apparent.
Mike was also engaged in the community, helping to start the Doilney-Barnes Teaching Excellence Awards in 1996 in conjunction with the Park City Education Foundation. Then later on, with his development career behind him, Mike served on the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission.
After over 40 years in Park City, he’d finally had enough of the snow and moved back to his roots and his happy place, the beach. He married the love of his life, Linda, on May 06, 2017 by the iconic “White Barn” in Park City. Mike spent his retirement years in Temecula, California, enjoying the warmer weather, visiting the beach as often as he could, and telling more people about Jesus. While living there he became an Associate Pastor at Vines Christian Fellowship, in Temecula.
For all who knew him, Mike was an instant friend who cared deeply about people, fly fishing, telling jokes to make people laugh, the Lord and wine (not necessarily in that order). Mike was a partner in the Parkite-founded Napa Valley wine venture, Parallel Wines. Mike also had a lifelong love of cars (especially the really exotic ones). His father and paternal grandfather both worked in the auto industry and passed their appreciation of cars on to him. Mike leaves fingerprints on all of our hearts and big footprints as well.
Mike was called home by our Lord and Savior on April 13, 2023 after suffering a recurrence of colon cancer. Mike is survived by his wife, Linda Battin Barnes, his younger brothers, Bruce (and wife Sue) and Stuart (and wife Renee) Barnes, his daughter, Heather (Barnes) Stack (her mother Patti Rapp), his son-in-law, Ryan Stack, their children, Lydia, Madelyn, and Caleb, his step-son, Jeremy Battin, his step-daughter-in-law, Nicole Battin, their children, Zach, Madison, Wyatt, and Emma, and his nieces and nephew, Kayleigh, Lauren and Chad. Mike also helped raise and was proud of his two step-daughters, Julie and Katie. Mike treasured his extended family and the many deep friendships he had throughout his life. He never missed an opportunity to reach out in love and concern or to tell a joke at every opportunity to brighten someone’s day!
Mike will be so deeply missed but we shall carry his memory in our hearts till we meet again in Heaven. The Celebration of Life service will be held at Creekside Christian Fellowship (1400 Bitner Road, Park City, UT 84098) on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 11:00am.
One of Mike’s favorite Bible verses was I Corinthians 2:9: “However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ — the things God has prepared for those who love him—”