Natalie Gaye Barnes

On Friday, February 17th, 2023, Natalie Gaye Barnes, 88, passed away peacefully at home with her daughter, Tina, nearby.

Natalie was born on November 30, 1934 in Fayetteville, West Virginia, the daughter of Hattie B. Scott and Vivian L. Rotan. Upon  graduating from high school, she married her first husband, Milton Barnes, and moved to California where she started her family and had five children: Milton, Tim, Lisa, Bill and Stevie. She later went on to meet Lorenzo Tubaya, the father of her two youngest children, Tina and Eddie. She continued in California where she raised her children and lived out the rest of her days.

She loved the Lord and believed strongly in the power of prayer. She was a mother of seven children who were, as she often said, her purpose in life. She was loved by her eleven grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren. To Natalie, family was everything.

In addition to both of her parents, she was preceded in death by her son Milton Barnes, grandson Michael Rich, brothers Cecil (Buster) Rotan, Robert (Bobby) Rotan, Ballard Rotan, Vivien Jr. (Buddy) Rotan, and William L. Rotan Sr.

She is survived by her children Timothy Barnes, Lisa (Barnes) Rich, William Barnes, Steven Barnes, Tina (Barnes) Fore, Eduardo Barnes and honorary daughter Timeko Tubaya; Granddaughters Nicole (Rich) Kibler, Lori Lynn (Barnes) Hayter, Candice (Barnes) Pogosov, Erin (Rich) Rosario, Naomi Barnes, and Dawn Fore; Grandsons William Barnes Jr., Isaiah Barnes, Dominic Barnes, and Levi Fore; Great grandchildren Lahmanie Johnson, Taliah Hayter, Jayden Hayter, Olivia Kibler, Chase Pardo, Michael Pogosov, Everett Kibler, Kaia Pardo, Nina Pogosov, Noah Rosario, Jiraiya Rosario; Sisters Consuelo Jeffreys, Geraldine Jackson, Rebecca Walker and Eva Layne; Sister-in-Laws Shirley Hurt Rotan and Cathi Shomin Rotan, along with many who married into the family, whom she loved as her own.

Natalie always enjoyed life’s simple pleasures, whether it was having her morning coffee, painting with water colors, watching a Western, rooting for her favorite basketball team, the L.A. Lakers, or thrifting with her daughters and granddaughters. She valued family above all else, and she will be remembered as a mother that loved deeply, a grandmother who gave the best hugs, a cherished aunt, and a beloved friend.

A celebration of life will be held at 1997 Echo pl, San Ramon, CA, on June 24th at 1pm.

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