1941 - 2026
Roger served in the National Guard from 1962 to 1968 and was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He worked for 38 years at Bay State Abrasives in Westborough, followed by 14 years as a bus driver for First Student. He also served for many years as a crossing guard at Lake Chauncy.
A lifetime member of the Southborough Rod and Gun Club, Roger enjoyed fishing, hunting, and camping. He especially cherished spending time with his grandchildren. He was a devoted Red Sox and Patriots fan and enjoyed the warmth of his wood-burning stove and walking his dog, Buddy, around Lake Chauncy.
In addition to his wife, Virginia, Roger leaves his daughters, Jennifer Melo and her husband, Joe, of Hudson; Beth Meyer and her partner, Chuck McKay, of Alton Bay, New Hampshire; and Leslie Keller and her husband, Scott, of Lawrenceville, Georgia. He also leaves many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family members, and his brothers, Ronald Barnes and his wife, Carol, of West Boylston, and Robert Barnes and his wife, Linda, of Westborough.
Roger was predeceased by his daughter, Michelle Barnes Hendrix; his sister, Judy Barnes; and his stepmother, Barbara Barnes.
A private service will be held at Pine Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in honor of his grandson, Joey Melo, to the New England Center for Children in Southborough, Massachusetts, or to Associates Animal Hospital in Westborough.
