Curtis (Curt) Barnes is a name that Racine won’t forget. The Racine Raiders Organization made an announcement on Facebook that shared the unfortunate news of Barnes’ death. He died on Jan. 26, 2022, surrounded by his loving family.
Racine Raiders Mourn
The Racine Raiders are a 501c(3) not-for-profit organization staffed by volunteers. Barnes was among those who gave their time. The Raiders were founded in 1953 and are the longest continuously operating adult amateur or semi-pro football team in the United States. Their home field is located at Horlick Field, 1648 N. Memorial Drive, in Racine. Coincidentally, Barnes was a graduate of Horlick High School.
In extension to his biological family, the Racine community will mourn his passing. The Racine Raiders shared, “Today, all of Racine and semi-pro football mourns the loss of Curt Barnes, a great man of service to our community.”
Community Leaders
Barnes was dedicated to Racine, serving in various roles within the community. He was very well known within the Racine Raiders Organization as he was involved with the semi-pro team for over 30 years. Barnes began as the football team’s insurance processor in the 1990s. Following that role, he became the player personnel manager in 2001.
Barnes grew with the organization and became the assistant general manager in 2002, according to the Racine Raiders. In 2003, Barnes earned a spot on the Racine Raiders Board of Directors. He climbed the ladder to become the general manager of the team in 2005. Since 2016, he’s been serving as the Vice President of Operations for the organization.
Due to his dedication to the football organization in Racine, he was inducted into the Racine Raiders Hall of Fame in 2021. The 2021 Racine Raiders Induction Ceremony can be watched below.
Barnes Gives Back
The Racine Raiders Facebook post also stated, “His loss will be felt in our community for a long time. Thank you for all the good you’ve done for Racine, Curt!”
Barnes Leads 4th Fest of Greater Racine
Barnes didn’t just serve Racine through his involvement in the Racine Raiders Organization, he was involved with other Racine community initiatives. He was a member of the 4th Fest of Greater Racine. In 2014, Barnes was named “Mr. 4th Fest.” This is an honorary title given to a 4th Fest Board member or volunteer who has made significant contributions to Racine’s 4th Fest celebration. Barnes assisted as fireworks chairman for over 40 years as well.
Serving with United Commerical Travelers
In addition, Barnes was involved with United Commerical Travelers, a fraternal benefit society, which is an international member-benefit organization uniting people with a common passion for good citizenship and volunteerism to improve their local communities.
Barnes was a UCT Board and Executive Member. He was faithfully dedicated to this organization and served as the organization’s chaplain. He has been a member of Racine Council 337 since 1968. Likewise, he is both a past local president and a past regional president of Wisconsin.
Barnes was a volunteer for Racine but also worked for the Racine Police Department as the city’s mechanic for 28 years. Barnes was an all-hands-on-deck kind of guy. He additionally served the area by working as a mechanic at various car dealerships in the Racine area.
Further Details
This is an ongoing story. Barnes’ obituary and funeral arrangements have not been released to the Racine County Eye at this time. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Local News
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