Barton LeRoy Carnes, of Tehachapi

[Stan]

November 11, 1931 — October 26, 2010

Barton LeRoy Carnes was born Nov. 11, 1931, in Santa Monica and passed away Oct. 26 in Tehachapi. He attended Adventist Grammar School in Santa Monica and then went on to graduate Glendale Union Academy in the 1950 as Valedictorian and Student Body President, lettering in several sports.

He graduated as a General Physician in 1959 from Loma Linda University and went on to serve his Internship at White Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles. He opened his medical practice in Long Beach, which he maintained for 27 years, during which time he was an ER Physician at seven local hospitals. He became a clinical teacher at UC Irvine and also Memorial Hospital Medical Center of Long Beach. He was a founding member of the Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center at MHMC. He also served in several clinics in the area but also served the US Public Health Service in the Native American community in the western states.

Bart was always active in local community affairs wherever he called home. He was involved in the local Chamber of Commerce, American Field Service, Flying Missionary Doctors, The Petroleum Club of Long Beach and the Republican Party, both locally and nationally. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Long Beach Yacht Club and active with the US Power Squadrons as a teacher of, among other things, celestial navigation. He was also involved in the USAF Aux. CAP as a search pilot and Chief Medical Officer. He later became a member of the Orange County Sheriff's Department Aero Squadron Search and Rescue.

He was a major believer in the Seventh Day Adventist Church. He was the grandson of the builder of the Adventist Church in Santa Monica. He was also a prolific inventor and builder, developing the first automatic emergency telephone, a collapsible motorcycle sidecar and a sailboat marine sanitation system.

He moved to Tehachapi in 1983, where he became a founding member of the Tehachapi Society of Pilots. He was also active in the Experimental Aircraft and Pilots Association and the Soaring Society of America. In 1993, he and his wife Merle settled in the Old West Ranch area of Tehachapi, where he became involved in the Property Owners Association as a president and member of the board.

He is survived by his beloved wife Merle, sons Lawrence and Scott, and daughter Debbie.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. at Grace Fellowship of Tehachapi.

S O U R C E