Peter John Barna

Peter John Barna, aged 83, passed away peacefully in hospice on November 1, 2024, in Hamilton, NJ. Born on May 13, 1941, Peter was born and raised in New Stanton, PA where he graduated from Hempfield High School and furthered his education at Thiel College in western PA, graduating in 1963 with a degree in Chemistry. He was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and retained lifelong bonds with Brother Ken Weigel and his little brother, Chris Shinkman.

His career as a purchasing manager spanned across 30 years with Western Electric/American Bell International/ AT&T – and expanded his living experiences past PA to MD, NC, IN, VA, overseas to Iran, along with business trips and travel that brought him across the US, Asia, Europe and Africa. All which he embraced and relished in sharing his experiences with friends and family.

His passion for nature and the outdoors was evident in his hobbies as an avid deer hunter, trout fisherman and gardener. He helped his father establish the family deer camp, ‘The Powderhorn’, in Potter County PA in 1950. Over the years, the family’s trek to the cabin waned, but in the 80’s he was the catalyst in getting the Barna and Miller clan back to northwestern PA for the annual deer hunt every November. During that time, he began an awards ceremony tradition that still continues to this day.

In addition to roaming thru mountains and trout streams, Peter was a strong athlete playing basketball in his youth, baseball and softball into adulthood and even becoming a certified soccer referee. In contrast to his healthy athletic background, he was a champion cigarette smoker and it was often joked that if cigarette smoking was an Olympic sport, he would be team captain and a gold medalist. He was known among friends and family as a skilled card shark, with love of poker, pinochle, rummy, crazy eights and solitaire. And he loved to crank a bit of Waylon and Willy now and then.

The last 19 years of his life were a bit more problematic following a surgical event that left him with a brain injury and his life morphed into various rehab hospitals, assisted living facilities, and a nursing home. With his short-term memory loss, he was unable to continue his love of reading and other basic day-to-day activities, but he still found time for adventure. With help from others, Peter managed to ‘break out’ now and then for lunch and a scotch, and even take road trips to NYC and Coudersport, PA, fly on a turbo prop to Block Island, RI, go ‘off-roading’ in the Poconos (with his walker), fish in a catch and release pond, ride a train thru the Lehigh Gorge; and without help and on his own managed to bum cigarettes or a light from many an unsuspecting stranger and entertain his many dedicated caregivers over the years. He appreciated his visits from his grand-dogs Buzzard, Ossy and Otis and often reminisced about his dogs Buck and Doe.

He is survived by his son, David Barna; daughter, Heather Barna; mother of his children, Helga Barna, and granddaughters, Haley and Kelsey Barna. Peter was preceded in death by his parents, John and Mildred Barna, and his sister, Jean Eberline.

Peter will be remembered for his kind nature, sense of humor and occasional poor decision. He also will be remembered for both his pre- and post-surgery life and although different, he still had a spark in both. His legacy will live on in the hearts of all those who knew him.

Cremation was held privately under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

You are encouraged to visit Peter’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of his life.

Memorial contributions may be made in his honor to the American Diabetes Society online by clicking here.

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