BARNAS, Gregory “Barney”


Gregory “Barney” Barnas, a lifelong resident of Wallington, New Jersey; a Jersey City Fireman since 1985 and currently Captain of Ladder 6, and a Wallington Volunteer Fireman since 1972, died while fighting a fire on February 28th, 2014, he was 57. Greg was born in Passaic, New Jersey on June 19th, 1956 to John and Estelle (Makowski) Barnas. He was raised in Wallington, and attended Don Bosco Prepatory High School in Ramsey, NJ, graduate, Class of 1974. Greg then attended and Graduated from Rutgers University in 1978. On June 13th, 1972 Greg was admitted into the Wallington Junior Fire Department. He achieved the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in 1974, and 1st Lieutenant in 1975. On March 6, 1975 he was admitted to Park Row Hose Co. 3, and on November 6th, 1982, he was admitted to Truck Co. 1. In 1988 Greg served Wallington as a Lieutenant and became Captain in 1989. He also served as Captain in 1992, 2012 through 2014. He was an Assistant Chief in 1995, Deputy Chief in 1996 and Chief of the Department in 1997. He was the Department Safety Officer from 2009-2014. Greg was also a member of the Wallington Emergency Squad from 1977 – 1990 and Lieutenant in 1980. Greg also was the Inspector of the Fire Prevention Bureau from 1985-1990 and the Fire Official from 1991-1993. Greg has also been an Instructor and Evaluator for the Bergen County Fire Academy, a member of the South Bergen Fire Chiefs’ Association, South Bergen Chiefs Zone 2 President in 1997, C.R.E.W. Fire Chiefs’ Association, NJ State Fire Chiefs’ Association, I.A.F.F. #1064 and the Wallington Ex Chiefs Golden Horn Club. Greg was also a member of the Waymart Fire Dept in Waymart, PA where he loved spending time at the family summer home at Elk Lake in Waymart. Greg married his loving and devoted wife, Patricia Serafin on May 10th, 1986 at the Most Sacred Heart Church in Wallington. Together they raised two incredible and loving sons who are also dedicated firemen, Kevin and John Barnas. He is survived by his loving sister Diane and her husband Richard Weiss. Greg is survived by his mother and father in law Ruth and Lou Serafin, brother in law Bill and wife Claire and his brother in law Tom. He is also survived by five nephews and one niece. Visiting will take place 2-5 and 6-9 PM Thursday, March 6th, 2014 at Warner-Wozniak Funeral Service, 80 Midland Avenue, Wallington, New Jersey 07057. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11AM Friday, March 7th, 2014 at the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 127 Paterson Ave. Wallington, NJ. A private cremation will follow. The family has requested that donations be made in Gregory’s memory to Hackensack University Medical Center - Bone Marrow Transplant Fund, 360 Essex St, Suite 301, Hackensack, NJ 07601 or the Saint Barnabas Burn Foundation, 94 Old Short Hills Road, Livingston, NJ 07039 www.njburncenter.com. Please visit WarnerAndWozniak.com to share your condolences with the family or for more information pertaining to funeral services and donations. Anyone who intends to pay their respects at the funeral home should see tomorrow’s obituary, as there will be information available regarding locations for bus/shuttle service to the funeral home, from various locations.

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