Rollin Sanford Barnes

     Rollin Sanford Barnes was born on 17 February 1947.^1,2,3 He was the son of Harold S. Barnes and Grace Effie Coolidge.¹ Rollin Sanford Barnes graduated in June 1965 from Mahar Regional High School.³ He joined the United States Air Force where he served for four years during the Vietnam Conflict. He was honorably discharged as a sergeant. He had flown 24 missions to Vietnam as a C-130 Cargo Loadmaster.³ According to his obituary, "After his discharge, he worked at General Motors in Framingham for several years before enrolling at the U-Mass Stockbridge School of Agriculture, where he studied horticulture. For 30 years, he owned and operated his own very successful business, Barnes Gardening and Landscaping. This included caring for the Petersham Common and cemeteries with his beloved nephew Christopher Barnes. His whole life, he was active in church and town activities. He was a past Commander of the Petersham American Legion Post 415, as well as their Post Historian. He was proud of his compilation of letters home from Petersham Vets who served in WWII. He was an active member and former board member of the Petersham Curling Club. He was active in the V.F.W. Post 650 and Vietnam VETS of America. He was a former Petersham Selectman, former library trustee, a long time member of the Petersham Conservation commission, and Petersham Historic Commission. Roland enjoyed spending time with his wife, daughters, many relatives and wonderful friends who are too numerous to mention. He loved to travel, and had a strong interest in American History, and researching his family tree. He was a skilled craftsman who designed and constructed his own home and field stone barn.³" He died on Monday, 30 May 2005 at age 58 years, 3 months and 13 days after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.³