My Friend Dennis Barney 1946 - 2009

It is often a shock when you lose a friend in death. Talmage Dennis Barney passed away January 5, 2009. Not knowing of his death, three days later I went to his office to talk about a recent project that he had me do for him and to make sure that he liked it and was satisfied. It was noon on January 8th and several of his sons were coming out of the office as I started to enter. I shook Brian Barney's hand and said I was there to see his father. It was stunning news to learn that he was gone. Dennis was the same age as I am. I am told his enlarged heart finally gave out. I knew that in a figurative sense he really did have a big heart but am saddened that his big literal heart couldn't give him any more life.
A few years ago Dennis asked me to paint a picture that represented his great grandfather Pomeroy who traveled with a wagon train and 300 head of cattle from Utah to Arizona in 1881. It was a rough trip and when they came to Lee's Ferry on the Colorado River in Northern Arizona, they ferried the wagons over but the cows wouldn't go. So great grandfather Pomeroy put a lasso around the neck of his favorite horse Ol' Dan and rowed across the river in a row boat. Old Dan followed and the cows gathered courage and they were able to drive them across.
I painted this painting titled "Lee's Ferry" for Dennis.

I went to Dennis's funeral and besides myself there will be hundreds and hundreds of people who will miss his friendship.