Jenifer Lynn Warner-Barnes

Jenifer Lynn Warner-Barnes, 54, of Duluth, passed away on Friday, November 10th after a long battle with cancer. 

Jenifer was born on May 20, 1969 to Richard and Linda Taival in Stoughton Wisconsin. Moving to Duluth when she was young, she graduated from East High School in 1987, attending UMD for a brief time before starting her career in banking. Jenifer started at First Bank, and worked at a few local banks and credit unions before starting her day-care so she could take care of her children the way she wanted. Once they moved on to school she started working at UMD in the Bookstore Cash Room, then moving into the Student Life department, where she worked until December of 2022. She loved the energy of the students, and often had family and friends stop by her office for a cup of coffee, or even to just do homework in a quiet place. 

In October 1997 she married Chris Warner, and they had their son, Nathan, in 2000. After her and Chris divorced, she married David Barnes in November of 2001, and they added Morgen to the family in 2003. 

Jen loved working in her gardens and planting flowers, spending time with her family and the group of Nathan's friends she simply called The Boys. She loved cooking for them, offering advice, and being a safe place for them and Morgen's friends. The energy that all the kids brought her was a blessing. They kept her up to date with calls and texts up until the very end, which meant everything to her.

Jen loved having her parents, sister and nieces over to celebrate birthdays and other holidays for food and lots of laughter. Jen had a lifetime of friendships with many, including Colleen, her best friend since Kindergarten; Bethany and Amber and their families whose kids all grew up together on Wabasha St, and The Mommies from Homecroft (Alison, Amy, Christine, Dawn and Jenny).  Families and friends came into her life and might need to move away, but nobody ever left completely.

During the last few months of her life she was able to make a bucket-list trip to Florida to pick shells off the beach and see dolphins and manatees thanks to her sister-in-law Jill. It was a goal that kept her going for months before the trip!

Jenifer believed in justice, equality, and hated bullies, racism, and prejudice.

Jen loved cats, and was preceded in death by Cheddar and Hamlet, Cricket and her beloved Bob Olson. 

She is survived by her parents, Richard and Linda Taival of Duluth; her husband David, her children Nathan and Morgen; her sister Traci (David) Bennett and nieces Lindsey, Hayley and Ashley of Duluth; Father-in-law Don (Marcie) Barnes of Flagstaff, AZ. Brother-in-law Aaron (Jill) Barnes and nieces Bri and Dakota of Knoxville, TN; Sister-in-law Kristine (Erick) Gano, nephew Jake and niece Autumn; Brother-in-law Ty (Ivan) Miller; Todd (Izzy) Miller, all of Arizona; Uncles Gary (Shari) of Duluth and Duane of Dickeyville WI, and countless friends. Her family and friends will miss her smile, laugh, and sense of humor profoundly.

Services will be held at Sunrise Funeral Home in Hermantown on Monday, November 20th, with Visitation starting at 11 and Celebration of Life at Noon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to LifeHouse of Duluth, or an animal rescue organization that supports your area. 

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