Stan J Barnard

Stan J Barnard, 69, of Canyon passed away on Sunday, June 21, 2026. Memorial services will be at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at First Methodist Church of Canyon with Rev. Matt Wolfington, pastor, officiating. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at Brooks Chapel. 

Stan was born on Oct 15th, 1956. He was the youngest child of Renna Beth and Robert (Barney) Barnard of Canyon.

Stan graduated from Canyon High School in 1975. He completed his Associates in Applied Science at Amarillo College in 1987 and graduated with his BA from West Texas A&M University in 1990. Stan had demonstrated his passion for motivation, leadership and service in his community since a young age. He received an award for Outstanding Young Man of America in 1989 and started a new organization at WTAMU to support returning students like himself. He also received an award as the Dean’s Roundtable Outstanding President in 1990.

Stan valued family, loyalty, consistency, and determination. He was always moving forward in life with curiosity and strength. He started as a park ranger to working as a police officer and then a deputy sheriff receiving a distinction as valedictorian when graduating from the police academy. He was an owner of a Pro-cuts franchise and owned a carpet cleaning company. He moved to working for the City of Canyon as a city inspector. He viewed his work as a ministry and strived to listen to others and help those in need.

In addition to his work life, Stan strived to better himself and be involved in the community. He trained for marathons placing 2nd in the Kansas Oklahoma Texas Relays (KOT). He earned a black belt in Taekwondo, even teaching classes out of his garage for a period of time. Stan worked with horses and dogs and had a deep love for God’s creation spending much time outdoors, camping, riflery, hiking and love for running. He felt a duty in the community, even completing SKYWARN Storm Spotter Training with the National Weather Service in 2014. He served on various boards, an ambassador for the city council, a board member for Hidden Falls Ranch church camp, and currently served on the board of Directors for the Palo Duro Retirement Village Community and is deeply involved in church activities. His family expresses their deepest appreciation to his caring extended family at Palo Duro Village and the First Methodist Church in Canyon. A sinner saved by God’s grace, to him be the glory for a life well-lived, championed with love for Christ, family, friends, nature, and ministry.

Survivors include his wife, LaRue Annette Barnard who he met in March and married in June of the same year to the tune of a lovely partnership of 38 years. Much thanks to God and his cousin, Mike Bellah, who orchestrated their first blind date. He is survived by his two children, KrynBeth McClain of Los Lunas, New Mexico, and Bryce Barnard and wife, Adriana of San Angelo, Tx . He is also survived by three grandchildren, Emma (Sal) and Logan McClain, and Raelynn Barnard. He was preceded in death by his eldest brother Robert (Rob) E. Barnard, Jr. Stan is survived by his next oldest brother, Kent and Jane Barnard of Dallas, Tx, and his nieces, Sarah-Margaret and her husband, Charles (Mathew) Lowery of Dallas, Tx., Libby and her husband, Joe Waters of Dallas as well as his only great nephew Joseph Waters of Dallas, Tx. Stan is loved by many, and survivors expand across the community to include a multitude of warm and loving cousins, his sister-in-law, Glenda Duggan, who kept him on his toes, coworkers, friends and his beautiful extended family at Palo Duro Village and the First Methodist Church.

The family suggests in lieu of flowers, memorials can be to a charity of choice, his church, First Methodist Church in Canyon 1818 4th Ave Canyon Tx 79015, or Hidden Falls Ranch, a Christian youth camp, P.O. Box 136, Wayside, Tx 79094, in which he was closely involved with since a very young age.