Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Dillmus W. Barnett Jr., USA, Retired, 92, passed away on April 11, 2024, Hospice of the Golden Isles. Mr. Barnett, known as “Bill,” was the eldest of seven children born to the late Dillmus Wesley Barnett and Mattie Sue Baker Barnett on April 27, 1931, in Gadsden, Alabama.
He was reared in Jacksonville, attended Jackson High School, and served four years as a medic in the U.S. Navy in the time of the Korean War. Following discharge from the Navy, he graduated from Mercer University in Macon. He matriculated to the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, for a Master of Divinity degree. Following seminary, Mr. Barnett joined the United States Army. As a chaplain, he served in the Vietnam War. He obtained two graduate degrees, a Master of Arts in Education Counseling and a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy. His Army career spanned 16 years in diverse duty stations. He retired in 1983 from Fort Stewart, in Hinesville.
In civilian life, Mr. Barnett served his local community as an ambassador for Christ. He was the Director of Counseling at Fraser Counseling Center and adjunct professor at Brewton-Parker College. He served the Superior Court of Atlantic Judicial Circuit implementing counseling innovations and was the Chaplain for Liberty County Sheriff’s Department.
Throughout his life, Mr. Barnett was a soldier for Christ in the pulpit, beyond his military assignments as battalion, brigade or division chaplain. He served as pastor at Smithboro Baptist Church in Monticello; Hobgood Baptist Church in Hobgood, North Carolina; Faith Baptist Church in Hinesville; and Riceboro Presbyterian Church, in Riceboro. He served as interim pastor at First Baptist Ludowici; Jones Creek Baptist Church, Ludowici; Friendship Baptist Church, Midway; South Newport Baptist Church, Townsend; Northside Baptist Church, Darien; and Allenhurst Presbyterian Church, Allenhurst.
His survivors include his wife of 53 years, Norma Hodges Barnett; four children, Victoria Barnett Bryant (Ray), Col. Steven Barnett, USAF, Retired, Laurie Barnett Kuckuck (Jim) and Stephanie Barnett Weeks (Mark); 12 grandchildren; 7 great- grandchildren; his sister, Sharon Barnett Shelton; and many nieces and nephews.
Pastor Travis Thrower officiated in a celebration of life at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 19, 2024, at Golden Isles Baptist Church, 255 Harry Driggers Blvd., in Brunswick. Burial was private.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Bill’s honor to Golden Isles Baptist Church.
