Robert Keith Barnes, 84, of Peterson, IA passed away Saturday evening November 23, 2013 at Careage Hills in Cherokee, IA.
Funeral services will be held Friday, November 29th, at 1:30 p.m. at the Church of Christ in Sutherland, Iowa. Pastor Jon Erickson will officiate. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee. There will be military rites at graveside by L. A. Wescott Post #2253 of the V.F.W. Visitation will be At the Sutherland Church of Christ on Friday from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. The Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa is assisting the family with the arrangements. On line condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Bob was born on April 19, 1929 at Cherokee, IA to John and Della (Dunn) Barnes. He graduated from Cherokee High School in 1946. Bob rode horses for a man in Iowa for the rest of that summer and worked at home on the farm. During this time of his life, Bob and his sister Marjorie began getting on bucking horses at buckouts throughout the Midwest. Bob and Marjorie became very interested in rodeo and began putting on their own rodeos in 1950. He served in the Marine Corps beginning in 1951 during the Korean Conflict. Bob was united in marriage to Donita LaVae Ducommun on February 2, 1958 at Sutherland, IA. By the time of their marriage, Bob was building Barnes Rodeo Company and he and Donita remained in the rodeo business for the rest of their lives. Bob was a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and in 1984 was named the PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year. Bob served on the National Finals Rodeo Committee in 1985 during the time the NFR was moved to Las Vegas. He also served on the PRCA Stock Contractors Executive Council and the PRCA Board of Directors. In 1994, Bob was honored to be inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs. The Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City honored him with an induction in 2010.
Bob helped to found the Midwest Christian Children's Home near Peterson and was a member of its Board of Directors until the time of his death. He was an active member of the Sutherland Church of Christ and had served on the church board.
Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife Donita in 2011, his parents and his brother, Kenneth Barnes.
He is survived by his children, Mitzi and her husband Michael Johnson of Litchfield, MN, Marty and his wife Kendall Barnes of Peterson, IA and John and his wife Cindy Barnes of Sutherland, IA; ten grandchildren, Megan and her husband Chad Berger, Westin and his wife Katelyn Barnes, Zac Johnson, Shayla Barnes, Bryce Johnson, Colton Barnes, Chad Johnson, Micah Barnes, Mary Barnes and Mason Barnes, one great-grandson, Hudson Berger; a sister, Marjorie Barnes of Cherokee, IA, a brother-in-law, Dennis Ducommun and his wife Bonnie of Cherokee, IA; two nieces and one nephew.
The family wishes to extend its sincere thanks for the many acts of kindness and generosity shown to them during this difficult time. A special thank you goes to the staff of Careage Hills for their loving care of Bob during his last months.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sutherland Church of Christ or to Midwest Christian Services (formerly Midwest Christian Children's Home.