Danny K. Barnett, 77 of Oakley, Kansas, formally of Effingham, Kansas, was born on September 3, 1946, in Laramie, Wyoming to Kenneth and Esther Beth Barnett. He died Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at the Citizens Medical Center in Colby, Kansas.
Danny attended school at the Gem and Monument, Kansas Elementary schools. Danny attended Effingham Grade School and graduated from Atchison County Community High School in 1964. He attended Highland Junior College and Kansas State University.
On June 10th, 1967, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Kay Hinz. Soon after, Danny was drafted into the U.S. Army for two years, and served from 1968-1969 in the Republic of Vietnam. Sergeant Barnett was part of the 1st Cavalry Division; Company D, 2nd Battalion (Airmobile), 8th Cavalry and very proud of his service to the country. Danny earned the National Defense Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal w/60 Device, Vietnam Service Medal w/2 Bronze Service Stars, Air Medal and the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device.
Danny and Mary resided in Atchison County after his honorable discharge as the rank of Sergeant in 1969, until 2018 when they moved to Oakley, Kansas to be closer to family.
Danny was a dairy farmer with his father and part owner in the Cedar Maple Guernsey Dairy Farm in Effingham, Kansas. He then served as the Emergency Manager for Atchison County and was EMS director for 19 years. While in this role, he assisted in assigning addresses for the 9-1-1 system and filled the role of Noxious Weed director.
Danny joined the Effingham Presbytery Church in 1960, later serving on the church board. He also served on the Atchison County Dairy Board, Jaycees, Fire Department, American Guernsey Association, Member of the VFW Life Member, and was the leader of the Effingham Community 4-H Club.
Danny is preceded in death by his parents. Surviving are his wife Mary Kay of Oakley, his daughter, Dana Kay, resident of Lakeside Terrace, Sabetha, Kansas; Tim and (Sheila) of Goodland, and Kevin of Oakley; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, who he loved very much; siblings Steve and (Julie) Barnett of Springfield, MO, Becky O’Brien of Effingham, Kansas and Kris and (David) Shell of Atchison, Kansas, along with numerous cousins, nephews, and nieces.
Services will be held at Oakley Christian Church, at 10:00 a.m. Monday, April 22, 2024. Burial will take place at the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery in WaKeeney, Kansas, at 2:15 PM. There will be a memorial in Effingham, Kansas on Sunday, May 5, 2024. Memorials may be made to Lakeside Terrace (Dana Kay’s residence), Atchison County EMS, and Effingham Union Church building fund and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit baalmannmortuary.com