William T. Barnes

William T. Barnes, of Briarcliff Manor, passed away peacefully on April 2, 2024 at the age of 95. Born in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest child of E. Talcott and Paula Barnes’s two children, Bill Barnes is predeceased by his parents, his brother Edward, and his beloved wife of over 60 years, Ani Barnes.

Bill graduated from the University of Chicago, where he majored in English Literature. He maintained a lifelong interest in literature and philosophy, and carried notebooks to work out thoughts and poetry and record favorite quotes. He recited poetry at gatherings, often from memory. He was fascinated by the commonalities of the world’s religions, and became a vegetarian after seeing a new-born calf and questioning how anyone could eat such a beautiful being.

He devoted his life to enabling children to reach their true potential, initially working with the Children’s Aid Society in New York City and teaching public school in New Jersey. He entered the field of special education in 1957 as a teacher at the League School in Brooklyn, the first day school in the United States serving emotionally disturbed children. After serving as Assistant Director at the League School, he came to Westchester County and, in 1968, working with the Association for Mentally Ill Children (AMIC), was named Director and Executive Director for the newly founded Clear View School. He served the next 44 years as Executive Director for the School, until his retirement in 2012 at the age of 83.

The Clear View School was a labor of love for Bill, the staff, the parents, and the children. The School’s initial home was in a ramshackle wood-frame building in Pelham Manor, but soon relocated to Dobbs Ferry where it was housed for a dozen years in buildings belonging to the Children’s Village. Clear View School found a permanent home in 1981 when it purchased the former Scarborough School property in Briarcliff Manor. Throughout this time, Bill focused on the needs of the children and the importance of developing a ‘therapeutic milieu’ in which the child would be able to experience their most profound needs without fear of rejection.

Bill maintained a sense of wonder, joy, and mischief throughout his life. He loved his wife Ani and together they chased sunsets and fireworks along the Hudson River and, in winter, relaxed with their dogs before a roaring fire. He considered Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The Power of the Dog” one of the truest poems ever written. He loved theater and talked glowingly of the great performances he had attended by Marlon Brando and Julie Harris. Bill knew and loved the work of actors, writers, and artists, and because of this love and admiration, many donated their time and skill to assist in fund-raising for the Clear View School.

Bill was a big man, over 6-feet-6-inches tall, and with a big voice. At holiday meals he called everyone to attention with a booming “Let’s eat,” heard throughout the house and throughout the neighborhood. His spirit and legacy are larger still and live on in the community and all those who knew and loved him.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Clear View School (clearviewschool.org) are appreciated.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 18 at 1:00 pm, in the Julie Harris Theater of the Clear View School, 480 Albany Post Rd., Briarcliff Manor, NY.

WATERBURY & KELLY FUNERAL HOME

1300 Pleasantville Road

Briarcliff Manor, New York 10510

914-941-0838

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