Dr. Gerald J. Barnes

Dr. Gerald J. Barnes, Jerry, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of February 3, 2025. Jerry was born May 7, 1936, the son of John “Jack” and Fidelis “Day” Barnes in Indianapolis, IN. He was the oldest of what would be five children. The family moved to Tipton, IN, where his dad became the Tipton Ford dealer. Jerry graduated from Tipton High School in 1954, and went on to attend Purdue University. Still a student, Jerry married Joyce Pickrell, also from Tipton, on August 31, 1957.

While at Purdue University, he was a member of Pi Tau Sigma, the mechanical engineering honorary society. He received his PhD from Purdue in Mechanical Engineering in 1962. After graduating from Purdue, Jerry joined General Motors as an engineer in the Fuels and Lubricants Department, where he worked on diesel-powered bus emission issues.

In 1970, Jerry transitioned from GM's Fuels and Lubricants (F&L) division to the newly established General Motors Research (GMR) Physical Chemistry Department, developing catalytic emission controls. In 1980, he joined the Automotive Emission Control group of the Environmental Activities Staff, where he worked on regulatory issues, both vehicle and facility, for both U.S. and overseas operations. At the time of his retirement, he was the Head of Emissions Worldwide and traveled extensively to other countries.

After retirement, he returned as a consultant and worked with student engineering research competitions, such as FutureCar, an annual road rally competition between universities designing alternative fuel vehicles. His love of learning and passion for his work made him an invaluable resource. His legacy in automotive emission control continues to influence current environmental standards and vehicle technologies, reflecting a career dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of automobiles.

After completely retiring, Jerry and Joy moved to River Falls, WI, to be closer to their daughter Amy and her family. He worked almost as hard in retirement as he did when he worked at General Motors. He loved spending time outdoors. His yard was immaculate in the summer, and in the winter he was usually the first to clear snow from his driveway. “Dapper” spent many happy, busy years watching his three granddaughters grow. He attended countless soccer and basketball games, and looked forward to visits from John and his family from California. He loved canoeing, bird hunting, cars, driving, auto racing, basketball, dogs, the color blue, chocolate, mystery novels, westerns, family, and most of all, “Joycee” His love for all these things will be his lasting legacy.

Jerry is survived by his wife Joyce, Hudson, WI; children John (Kelly Thompson) Barnes, Los Angeles, CA; and Amy (Shawn) Hartnett, Hudson, WI; granddaughters Elaine Hartnett, Hudson, WI; Claire Barnes, New Haven, CT; and Lilly (Zach Postler) Hartnett, Edina, MN; siblings Mike Barnes, Parkville, MD; Dan (Marty) Barnes, Lamy, NM; and Marty (Dave) Driscoll, Martinsville, IN. Sister Linda (Ken) Waite, is deceased.

A graveside service for Jerry will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 15 at Kempton Cemetery with Rev. Dennis Goth presiding with burial to follow. The family will receive friends on Saturday from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. at Young-Nichols Funeral Home. Condolences for Jerry’s family may be left on his obituary page at www.young-nichols.com.

Memorial contribution in Jerry's honor may be made to Lakeview Homecare and Hospice, https://www.healthpartners.com/foundations/lakeview/donate-now/ or the hospice of your choice.