City of Sarcoxie mourns death of Ally Barnes

(From the City of Sarcoxie)

It is with great sorrow that we have learned of the recent passing of Alicia “Ally” Barnes. We want to take a moment to recognize her impact to the City of Sarcoxie and our community.

 
Ally cared about people. She lived to help people and to make things better. Prior to her sharing some of her energy with the city, Ally had already spent considerable time helping and giving through the YMCA, Relay for Life, her church and other activities.

She served in multiple capacities during her time with the City including Event Coordinator, Economic Development Director, Park Board, a founding member of the SEED Board and the CORE Team. 

Ally played a major role in the GRO initiative by actively seeking out opportunities to enhance citizen engagement, creating a social media presence and improving the City’s website content. She also played a vital role in seeking to empower the younger generation and encourage participation in civic engagement. Her efforts in these programs made an impact on several individuals still seen to this day.

Ally helped organize Trunk or Treat, the Business Expo, and Christmas on the Square over several years. She gave everything she had to these events and it was quite common for her to be physically spent afterwards – all for the sake of ensuring they went perfectly and were enjoyed by our community.

Most importantly, Ally was a friend and source of wisdom and inspiration. She would listen and provide strength during rough times and always challenged us to handle every situation with dignity and class.

Ally accomplished what she set out to do; change lives and leave a positive impression. 

When Ally stepped back from working with the City, it was to allow herself more time to focus on her work within the church and to focus more on her health. We were sad to see her leave, but she never stopped supporting and advocating for the City and the community.

 
We send our condolences to her family and our appreciation for all the contributions she has made during her time with us. Ally Barnes, you will be missed.