Obituary of Barney Vallin

BARNEY GOMEZ VALLIN Barney Gomez Vallin passed away at his home in Lake Havasu City on Friday June 1, 2012 at the age of 96, just 10 days shy of his 97th birthday. Barney was born on June 11, 1915 in Zacatecas, Mexico to Ventura and Sara (Gomez) Vallin. Barney's journey to Lake Havasu City began in a small village near Teocaltiche, Jalisco where his father was a sharecropper. He eventually moved to Arvin, CA and became a barber. He sold his barbershop in 1970 saying "The beatles put a lot of barbers out of business." He then went to work for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California near Parker. While living there he maintained his barber business in his garage after hours. In 1988 at the age 68, Barney retired and moved to Lake Havasu City and ending his retirement by going to work at Joe's Barber Shop. He opened up Barney's Barber Shop in November of 1992 giving haircuts for $ 7.00 each, a dollar off if you mentioned his Ad in the paper. Not only did Barney give many haircuts, he also made many friends along the way. You enter his shop, your family. Barney was a member of Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church and was a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus. Barney is survived by his daughters Lucia Campbell of Lake View Terrace, CA; and Christina De La Rosa of St. George, UT; brother Joe Venegas of Orange, CA; sisters Cressie Mirenda of Azusa, CA, Mercedes Contreras of Duarte, CA, Jenny Vallin of Duarte, CA; and 13 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren and 7 great great grandchildren. Barney was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Mary, who passed away in November of 1998; daughters Mercedes Nyberg and Maria Wallace , brothers Joe Vallin and John Vallin and sister Dominga La Riva Vallin, and grandsons Walter Frank Williams jr and Raymond Anthony Williams. Visitation will be Sunday June 10, 2012 at Lietz-Fraze Chapel from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Rosary will be said at 7:00 PM during visitation. Funeral Mass will be held on Monday June 11, 2012 at Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church at 10:00 AM with Father Chauncey Winkler offering words of comfort. Interment will follow at Lake Havasu Memorial Gardens. Reception will be held at Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church Parish Hall following interment. Thoughts and condolences can be sent to Barney's family at www.lietz-frazefuneralhome Arrangements were placed under the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home & Crematory.