William David Barnes

William David Barnes, 76, of Slippery Rock passed away Saturday at VNA Inpatient Hospice in Butler following an extended illness.

He was born Dec. 2, 1939, in Grove City to Charles Franklin Barnes and Mary Gladys Lutz Barnes. He married Judith Ann McCandless on March 12, 1960.

From 1961 to 1964, he was the health and physical education teacher and the junior high basketball coach at Karns City High School.

From 1964 to 1999, he was a health, physical education and American history teacher at the Butler School District, from 1964 to 1986 at the junior high school and from 1986 to 1999 at the high school. At the Butler schools, he was the boys tennis coach from 1965 to 1999 and the girls tennis coach from 1974 to 1998.

He was the tennis pro at the Butler Country Club from 1975 to 1981, the WPIAL Tennis Coach of the Year in 1973 and 1987; U.S. Professional Registry Coach of the Year for Pennsylvania in 1987; a member of the WPIAL Tennis Committee from 1970 to 1999, a chairman of the same committee from 1977 to 1999; and a member of Slippery Rock University Hall of Fame, the Butler County Hall of Fame and the Butler High School Hall of Fame.

He was a member and past president of Slippery Rock High School Alumni Association, a member and past president for the Slippery Rock Heritage Association and a member of the Slippery Rock Cemetery Board.

He was a member and elder of the Friendship Parish, Bethel Presbyterian Church, in Slippery Rock Township. He enjoyed reading history books, gardening and yard work. He was an animal lover and known among friends as being “the Ice Cream Man” because of the great ice cream he made and shared with friends.

Survivors include his wife, Judy, at home; his son, Dan L. Barnes and his wife, Cindy L., of Gibsonia; two grandsons, Eric L. and Kyle W.; his sister, Pat Rusidoff of Scottsboro, Ala.; his brother-in-law, Don McCandless of Grove City; and two nephews, Jim Rusidoff of Scottsboro, Ala., and Gregg McCandless of Virginia.

He was preceded in death by his brother-in-law, James Rusidoff, and his nephew, Steven Rusidoff.

BARNES — There will be a private graveside service for William David Barnes, who died Saturday, April 30, 2016, at the Slippery Rock Cemetery led by the Rev. Donna Yanosy of the Friendship Parish.A public memorial service will be conducted later with date and time to be announced in the Butler Eagle.Memorial contributions may be given to the Friendship Presbyterian Church, 324 S. Main St., Harrisville, PA 16038; or to the Slippery Rock Heritage Group, P.O. Box 551 Slippery Rock 16057.Arrangements are being handled by the Smith Funeral Home, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock.