Kevin Jerome Barnes

Kevin Jerome Barnes, 62, passed away while sleeping peacefully on Sunday, June 21, 2026 at The Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH, after a short battle with lung cancer. He was born on April 7, 1964 in Springfield, MA, the son of the late Kenneth Barnes and the late Nancy (Towne, Barnes) Lauer.

He was the life partner of Karin (Iverson) Chevalier. They were friends and neighbors in high school and reconnected in 2016, when Karin moved to Florida to join Kevin.

Kevin was a 1982 graduate of Agawam High School. He was a carpenter and loved to build things. He went on to work in many areas of construction, including siding, roofing and window/door installation.

Kevin was passionate about sports, both playing and watching. He was an exceptional athlete. He played basketball, baseball, and football in Agawam during his school years, and then went on to play softball. He also loved playing golf. He had great memories of playing with his father and his brother, Michael. He loved to brag about the two times he beat Michael at golf, which was a huge accomplishment for him. When asked what his favorite sport to play was, he would say softball was the easiest, but basketball was his favorite. Kevin had countless stories of his coaches and teammates, who all had a tremendous impact on his life.

Kevin lived in Agawam, MA for many years. He went to Port Charlotte, FL in 2004 to rebuild his mother and stepfather’s (Martin Lauer) house, which was destroyed during hurricane Charlie. That trip turned into 18 years. He loved that it didn’t snow in FL. In 2016, Karin moved to FL and they spent the next ten years together. They moved to NH in 2022, soon after his mother passed away. Kevin adored his mother. She was his friend and confidante. He told Karin that he loved her more than anyone, except his mother. Kevin’s late stepfather, Marty, was an important, supportive man in Kevin’s life.

Kevin made friends wherever he went. He was larger than life. He was friendly, talkative, smart, compassionate, had a booming voice and laugh, and an infectious smile. He knew how to have fun. If he didn’t like something, he wouldn’t hesitate to tell you. He was very protective of the people he loved, and would stand up for a stranger if he witnessed someone being treated badly. Kevin had some close friends in his life that deserve mentioning, Tim Guarnieri, Roger “Stew” Brooks, and Alex Cook. There were so many other friends that meant so much to him.

Karin was the love of his life, and he was hers. He told her all the time that she was the best thing that ever happened to him. She felt the same way. They supported each other in a caring, non-judgmental way. Their relationship was healthy and honest.

Kevin was predeceased by his sister, Deborah Ponta, in 2018, and his nephew, Matthew, in 1985. He leaves behind his partner, Karin (Iverson) Chevalier of Manchester, NH, his daughter and her husband, Kaitlin and Morgan Flagg of VT, his brother and his wife, Michael and Lisa Barnes of West Springfield, MA, his sister and her husband, Kathleen and Mark Stevens of Feeding Hills, MA, his sister and her husband, MaryEllen and Remo Rivera of Philadelphia, PA, his aunt, Barbara Towne of Chicopee, MA, and Kenny's wife, Joanne Barnes of Agawam, MA. He also leaves behind several nieces, nephews and cousins. He will be missed very much by his dog, Jackson, who he loved very much.

SERVICES: There will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, July 18th, from 2:00-7:00 pm at the Buccaneer Lounge in Agawam, MA. There will be donations accepted at the Celebration of Life to directly benefit the boys baseball and basketball teams at Agawam High School.

Assisting the family with arrangements is the Cremation Society of NH, Manchester. To view Kevin's Online Tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit www.csnh.com