Barnes, William John

William John (Bill) Barnes was an Associate Professor at Queen's University at Kingston from 1962 until his death in November 1992. Born in Kemptville, Ontario, on 4 November 1936, he attended Trinity College and went on to pursue graduate studies at the University of Chicago. Bill Barnes joined the Department of English Department at Queen's University in 1962. His primary interests were in the English Renaissance, particularly John Milton, and Canadian literature and modern poetry. He won the Arts and Science Undergraduate Society Award for teaching excellence twice and also received one of Canada's most prestigious teaching awards, the 3M Teaching Fellowship. He was also choirmaster and organist at St James Anglican Church, Kingston for twenty years and his choral work was written during his tenure there. He was asked by Queen's University to write their Sesquicentennial Hymn, which received its inaugral performance on 16 October 1991. William John Barnes died 30 November 1992 in Kingston. He is survived by his daughters Catherine and Sarah, and son James.