Sterling Deshone Barnes

With heavy hearts we gather here for the passing of Sterling “Stir Cat” “Breakdown” Barnes. Our loving father gained his wings Thursday April 9, 2020 at Covenant Hospital in Saginaw, Michigan after a sudden illness.

Sterling was born October 10, 1968 in Saginaw, Michigan, the son of Joe Snead and Annie Barnes. He was a loving and caring father, son, brother, uncle, cousin, and Friend. He graduated from Arthur Hill High School, where he played basketball, wrestling, and football. And let us not forget he was the Breakdown King! A great accomplishment Dad had was attending Delta Community College and earning his Associate Degree in Business Studies in Retail Management.

Sterling was a member of Greater Love Ministries in Saginaw and served on the usher board. Even though he stayed on the move, he made sure to be at church on Sunday. He loved to travel and exercise. He aspired to see as much of the world as he could.

As we all know, Sterling loved spending time with his family and friends. He was the life of the party. When he walked into a room, he brought a smile to everyone's face. Don't let him have his Booties with him because that was triple the fun. He was the person that got along with everybody. Sterling would help anybody in any way that he could. His heart was pure and his intentions honorable.

We could write a book about this great man who will be truly missed. With open hearts we accept him being at peace in the afterlife, chopping it up with his loved ones who moved on before him.

Sterling was preceded in death by his parents, Joe Snead and Annie Barnes; siblings, Verra, Terry S. and John Anthony Barnes, Tyrone Clark-Broxton, Bonnie Brown, Ora-Lee Price, Annie Blackman, Mildred Stevenson, Frank Snead, Junita Clark; and his dear cousin, Trina.

He leaves to cherish his memory five children, Sharde, Nemond Kelley, Sharviance Brown, Sterling Berrien, Deondre Alexander; grandchildren, DeShone Evans, Alena, Breeze, Jewel, Nemond Kelley Jr., Prince-Henry Sweeney, Sabrina Brown, Kamryn and Deondre Alexander Jr.; siblings, Kimberly Clark, Rachelle, Pamela, Lovie, Tracy Barnes, Jackie, Joelyn, and Shella Snead; aunts, Dorothy Clark, Mattie Hendly, Georgia Turner, Naomi McCloud; uncles, David and Pastor James Snead; nieces and nephews, Earnell, Ebony, Kamisha, Tanisha, LaToya, Emil, Omar, Amanda, Alicia, Willie, Dejore, Tracy, Starion, Skyla, Sinterria, Zarkisa; many great-nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends, including special friends, LeVandis Gray, Bobby Von, Kendall, Miguel, Bird, Mook, Michael Applegate, Tito McKinney, the Brown, Berrien, Wilkerson, Thompson, Davis, Hunt, Dillard, Snead, Reed, Leverson, Patterson, Collins and Gray Families.

The family would like to express special thanks to Ivan E. Phillips and the Staff of Paradise Funeral Chapel.

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