Throughout its existence, Augusta and GA-10 have been blessed with some true giants, including child labor laws crusader Tom Watson, the Father of the Two-Ocean Navy Carl Vinson, and patients’ rights advocate Charlie Norwood.
In addition to serving in Congress, Barnard served on the Board of the Georgia Department of Transportation for 10 years and, before that, was executive secretary to Governor Carl Sanders, his best friend. Barnard was a World War II veteran and remained active in the American Legion for decades. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Augusta.
Born in 1922, Barnard was 95 years old. A lifelong Democrat but “often with the Republicans in spirit,” he was the first politician I ever knew, and he had a defining influence on me to seek out the middle ground and find ways to solve problems. Out of office for twenty-five years, Barnard continued to mentor elected officials and aspiring politicians of both political stripes. He will be sorely missed.