Thomas Allen Barnes

Thomas Allen Barnes, age 75, of Cincinnati, Ohio, passed away April 14, 2026.

He was born on January 26, 1951 in Mount Vernon, Ohio, to Lyle and Jean Barnes. He grew up in Norwalk, Ohio, and attended Norwalk High School. Tom earned his undergraduate degree from General Motors Institute and several master’s degrees from Central Michigan University. He was a proud member of Beta Theta Pi.

Throughout his life, he worked at General Motors, ThyssenKrupp Bilstein of America, and Johnson Controls. In all three roles, he served as a Human Resources Director. 

Outside of work, he loved to play golf, chairing an international golf league called P.I.G.S. and enjoyed poker with the Hyde Park Country Club group. Tom knew the best places to eat, often asking people, “What’s your favorite restaurant in Cincinnati?” He wasn’t afraid to whisk his family on a mini-road trip for a good meal. 

He loved his Ohio sports teams such as the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and The Ohio State Buckeyes. 

Tom loved to travel, having gone to all the contiguous U.S. states, all around Europe, and to China to adopt his beloved daughter. He had a soft spot for his furry friends. 

Tom made it a point to hold his favorite cat, Butter, daily. His cat loved him back. Christmas will not be the same without Tom. When he lived alone, he had seven Christmas trees with different themes. He proudly showed them off to his future wife. He even had Christmas-themed bathroom decorations. Most notably, one that blew bubbles when you turned on the light. 

Tom is survived by his wife Trish Sevier Barnes, his two children Jim Barnes (Jocelyn) and Paige Barnes, and his sister Karen Connelly (Gary). He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents. 

His family is already missing his warm heart, intelligence, humor, and his dedication to his family and friends. He left an indelible mark on the hearts of everyone he interacted with.

A celebration of life will be held soon with details to come. 

Feel free to wear Tom’s favorite color orange. He also liked blue and green together. He’d want you to be comfortable, often joking he’d wear jeans and sneakers to a wedding if he could. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Unity of Garden Park in Colerain Township. 

To share a memory of Tom or leave a special message for his family, please visit the guest book below.