Main Street Community Foundation

Founders

In Memoriam - Carlyle Fuller “Hap” Barnes (1924-2012)

A founder of Main Street Community Foundation, Hap Barnes, age 87, passed away on January 21, 2012. As cliché as it is, he will never be forgotten by the Greater Bristol community and by everyone associated with Main Street Community Foundation. “It was him, after all, who came up with the name ‘Main Street Community Foundation,’” said Sherwood Anderson, founding member, “when he and a core group of community leaders founded the philanthropic organization in 1995.” Surrounded and supported by this core group, Hap applied all of his corporate training and leadership skills to help build the foundation.

His passion and vision were evident in everything Hap did. He was a corporate leader with a successful business career. He was the City of Bristol’s fire commissioner for 36 years and collected firefighting equipment that is now on display in the Museum of Fire History. He played key roles in many of Bristol’s nonprofits and was a true philanthropist. “Most people never witnessed his visits with patients in the hospital emergency room – I did on several occasions and his interactions clearly qualified him as a ‘care giver,’” stated John E. Smith, founding member. “I even had some patients ask ‘who was that wonderful man?’”.

He touched many lives in our community both directly and indirectly. His warm smile and caring personality will be truly missed.

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Our heartfelt thanks to the founding group of community leaders who had the vision to establish and grow the Main Street Community Foundation.

  • Sherwood Anderson

  • Carlyle F. Barnes

  • Thomas O. Barnes

  • Delores Capers

  • Ann Clark

  • Terry B. Fletcher

  • Edward P. Lorenson

  • Robert S. Merriman

  • David J. Preleski

  • Jeanne E. Radcliff

  • John E. Smith

  • Christopher Ziogas