Honoring George Barnes
February 28, 2007
U.S. House of Representatives
Madam Speaker, on Saturday, March 3rd, the Knox County Republican Executive Committee will honor George Barnes, one of its greatest leaders.
George was born on September 21, 1923, in Sevier County, Tennessee, and graduated from Sevier County High School.
He then graduated from the University of Tennessee and had a distinguished career at Robertshaw Controls Corp. for almost 40 years.
He was active in the Society for the Advancement of Management and the South Knoxville Optimist Club. He has been a member of Meridian Baptist Church for over 50 years.
He has been a longtime member of the Knox County Republican Executive Committee and was president of the South Knoxville Republican Club and chairman of the 27th Precinct.
Senator Ben Atchley has credited George Barnes as being the person who talked him into staying in the legislature as long as he did.
Some people get into politics only for themselves. George Barnes has unselfishly worked for almost all Republican candidates and office holders over his active career.
Working alongside him and supporting him in every way has been his wife, Flo. They are the proud parents of two daughters, Elizabeth, a speech pathologist for the Oak Ridge Schools, and Jean, a lawyer in Brentwood.
George Barnes is honest, ethical, hardworking, patriotic, and above all else, kind. He has touched thousands of lives in good and positive ways.
He is a truly great American and this Nation is a better place because of the life he has led.
