Obituary of Paul William Barnes

Paul W. Barnes, retired owner of Belmont Body and Paint, passed away peacefully at home with his wife and daughters at his bedside on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.  He was 88 years old.  Paul was born in Somerville.  He was one of four children born to William and Mary Barnes.  He grew up in the Union Square section of Somerville.  He was fascinated with cars from an early age.  He went to Arlington High School and graduated in 1953. As a teenager he learned the craft of autobody at Hanson & Tilton. At the age of 21, he was drafted into the Army.  The Army saw his auto mechanic skills and assigned him to be a mechanic in the First Battalion of the 32^nd Armor Regiment stationed in West Germany.  He was very proud to have served his country and appreciated the opportunity to be stationed in Germany and travel in Europe when on leave.

Paul returned to Arlington and eventually opened an auto body shop, Belmont Body and Paint.  He treated customers like lifelong friends, took great pride in his work, and was proud of its forty-year history.  He had multigeneration customers who would only go to Paul’s shop. He especially enjoyed working with Catholic nuns on their fender benders and often joked “maybe he would go straight into heaven when the time came.”

Paul was a lifelong Hot Rod enthusiast.  It began in a barn on a friend’s father’s pig farm in Lexington.  He was a member of the “No-Mads” Car Club.  They worked on each other’s cars, built and raced stock cars and shared their love and passion for cars for decades. No one had much money at the time, a farm truck was their trailer, and teamwork was everything.  They raced for years, won many trophies and accolades, and made lasting memories. Which they still reminisce about. He was a member of the New England and National Chapters of the National Hot Rod Association.  He was inducted into the New England National Hot Rod Hall of Fame in 2003.  He restored numerous cars over the years with his pride and joy being a 1933 Buick Victoria which he lovingly called “Miss Vicky”.   He won numerous awards and trophies at car shows. Family vacations were often an extension of a car show.  He loved Tuesday night at the “Rusty Nut” Car Club get togethers.  He made special events like graduations, dances, and even his daughter’s weddings so much more special by using his Resto Rods as the mode of transportation.

Paul was devoted to his family.  Paul literally married the girl next door.  He lived in house number 19 and his wife grew up in number 17.  They married in 1960, purchased a house in Burlington in 1964, and have loved living in their forever home. The couple loved to ballroom dance.  When they were young it was at Mosely on the Charles, Wonderland Ballroom and Angelica’s in Middleton.  They loved the Big Band sound and gracefully floated across the dance floor.  They were always the first on the dance floor and up until two weeks ago were still dancing in the living room, walker and all.  They raised their daughters to be self-reliant, independent thinkers, and to follow their passions.  He loved it when he became a grandfather.  He went to their sporting & school events, introduced them to the world of antique cars and enjoyed anything else that was important to them.  Many a trip were made to California and North Carolina to enjoy visits with his family. Special times were spent at the family’s cottage in Ogunquit.  It has been in the family for three generations and has been a memorable spot for decades.  Those memories are something his family will cherish forever. 

Paul will be remembered for his passion, determination, warmth, generosity, and his brutal honesty, seeking perfection in whatever he did. He was always someone you could count on.  Paul will be missed, but he lived a life of no regrets, (except for a few purchases that got away), followed his dreams, and made those dreams a reality. He left a hole in many hearts; his absence will be felt for a long time.

Paul was the beloved husband of 63 years to Cynthia (Keating) Barnes.  He was the loving father of Lesa Barnes Whitehead & her husband Chuck Whitehead of Raliegh, NC, Krista Condon & her husband John Condon, III of Burlington and their predeceased infant daughter. He was the brother of Patricia Barnes of Lexington, Mary Ellen Barnes of Quincy, and Joanne Bavaro of Plymouth.  He was the proud grandfather of Nevin, Leighton, Quinn, & Paxton Whitehead and John IV, Kelsey, Wyatt, Kensington, and the late Mackenzie Condon.  He was also survived by many dear friends and his beloved hot rod community. 

Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., Burlington on Monday, May 27 from 4-7 p.m. Funeral from the Sullivan Funeral Home on Tuesday, May 28 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Margaret Church in St. Veronica Parish, www.stveronicama.org, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Services will conclude with a burial at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Arlington.  Memorials in Paul’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or the Alzheimer’s Association, www.alz.org, 320 Nevada St., Suite 201, Newton, MA 02460.  For obituary & tribute video see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net