Lance Corporal Joseph Richard Barna, age 96, of Freeland, passed peacefully surrounded by his loving family before reuniting with his wife Eleanore in heaven on August 19, 2026. He was born on March 18, 1930, to the late John Barna and Helen (Brezina) Barna.
Joe was most proud of being a United States Marine. He was a combat veteran of the Korean War where he served from June 1952 until cease fire in July 1953, carrying a flame thrower and being wounded several times. Joseph was the recipient of several combat medals including two Purple Hearts for his bravery. Joe spent most of his life advocating for our veterans and frequently wrote and spoke about the common experiences of war. He would tell anyone his story and lend an open ear to anyone needing to talk about theirs. In 2021, Joseph published his memoir “God Makes Angels and Navy Corpsmen, A Korean War Veteran’s Memories of the War and Life.” Joe won 5 national gold medals in the creative writing divisions of the annual Veteran’s Administration Creative Arts Contest and travelled all over the nation with the competitions.
In the past few years, Joseph considered it to be a privilege to be able to attend and participate in the Corpsman graduation ceremonies in San Antonio, Texas with his friend Eric Olsen and Frank Balon, where he remembered and honored his “Angel” Navy Corpsman John “Jackie” Kilmer.
Joseph was an active member of the Freeland American Legion Post 473 where he was Parliamentarian and the Freeland Post 5010 Veteran’s of Foreign Wars, where he held the office of Senior Vice-Commander. He proudly served as a rifleman in the military honor guard and participated in military funerals, local ceremonies, placing flags on Veteran’s graves, and visits to area nursing homes.
Joe retired from PPL after a 25-year career as a truck driver and heavy equipment operator. When driving by an area power line or tower, he would often say “I worked on that.”
Joseph loved to fish for small mouth bass and northern pike and made countless trips to the Beverly Lakes in Ontario, Canada with his fishing buddy and friend of 50 years, Charles Kniese. In the past few years, he enjoyed fishing with his great and great, great grandkids locally.
In his younger days, Joe was an athlete at Freeland High School where he played basketball. Joseph was a local baseball player, playing in the organized teams in Freeland and Eckley during the 1950’s. His proudest baseball moment was the time he pitched his Freeland Allstar team to victory over the Jeddo Stars Juniors. After that game he met his wife-to-be, Eleanore.
Joseph lived his entire civilian life in Freeland, PA. He was married to Eleanore for 67 years at the time of her passing in December 2020. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by daughter, Barbara and son, Joseph; brothers, George, Thomas and John; sisters, Helen, Mary and Margaret.
Surviving are his granddaughters and caregivers Jessica Ryan (Heather), Alexis Hoffman, and Brianna Antosh (Mark). Also surviving is brother Edward Barna (Maria); daughter Deborah Ryan; grandchildren Jennifer Ryan, Jackie Yagalla (John Paul), Kelly Schultz (Brian), Joseph and Jimmy Barna. Great Grandchildren William R. Rice, Mikayla Schultz, Jayde Yagalla, Kayla Yagalla, Jase and Gracie Wenner; Great, Great grandchildren Owen Senape, Noah Antosh and Hannah Antosh and his canine companion, Bleu. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
We would like to express our sincerest gratitude to Joseph’s chosen family, Frank Balon, who made keeping him home possible and provided the best care to him over the past several months.
In the last few years of his life, He would often remark “I’ve lived a great life.”
Family will receive friends from 4-8pm on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at McNulty’s Funeral Home, Freeland. A memorial mass will take place at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, 898 Centre Street, Freeland, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, beginning at 10am.
Military interment will be held privately at the convenience of the family.
