On Saturday, January 19, 2019 at the Holden Beach Chapel at Holden Beach was be the celebration of the life of our member Virginia (Anne) Barnhill, time 2:00PM.
Here is Anne Clinard Barnhill’s online obituary. (The Wilmington Star News)
With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Anne Clinard Barnhill (Holden Beach, North Carolina), who passed away on January 12th 2019. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. She was loved and cherished by many people including : her husband William Franklin Barnhill; her parents, Jack Clinard and Virginia Clinard of Varnamtown; her sister Rebecca Clinard of Wilmington; her daughter-in-law Emily Kathleen Arndt.
She was also cherished by her three sons and her six grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Appalachian Voices, 589 West King Street, Boone, NC 28607.
A former teacher and book reviewer, Barnhill earned an MFA in creative writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. (Her thesis was published as her memoir, “At Home in the Land of Oz,” about growing up with an autistic sister, at a time when autism was not often recognized.
In addition to her Tudor historical novels, Barnhill has a contemporary Southern novel, “The Beautician’s Notebook,” coming out in April. For more about this author.
Biography-Virginia (Anne) Clinard Barnhill
I've been writing since I was a kid, mostly poems about animals back then. I fell in love with Tudor England in my early teens when I discovered I have ancestors (The Sheltons) who were very active in Tudor times. My favorite characters from the Tudor court include Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I. I have lots of Tudor-inspired items in my office--a Tudor coloring book, Tudor paper dolls, a mug with Henry VIII and his six wives on it, two dolls of Elizabeth I and well over 200 books (mostly nonfiction) on the subject.
I also love Southern fiction, Appalachian fiction and anything literary. Favorite writers include Robert Morgan, Fred Chappell, Ron Rash, Michele Young-Stone, Lee Smith and too many others to name. Although I've written two historical novels about my favorite time period, I've also written a memoir about my sister, Becky, who has autism. This book has been used in a university education class and I'm quite proud of it--my hope is, it honors my sister and my parents.
I've also written a book of short stories, published in 2009. Recently, one of my short stories was staged in Greensboro, NC by the NC Touring Theater Troupe. I'd just had back surgery and was told by my doctor to recline on the 4 hour drive and also at the performance. A few friends made the trip with me, one of whom dressed up as a chauffeur--she'd even put posters on her van with pictures of my books and me. The ushers fixed a lovely bench for me, on which I could recline. I decided to wear a wig to the event (2 years earlier, I'd lost all my hair due to cancer treatments; unknown to me, sometimes the hair falls about again after treatments are over--hence, the wig.) As I lay on the bench, my head on a pillow (which did match my dress!) I had no idea wig hair would stay put. After the performance, the director invited me up to the stage for discussion. My hair kept its 'swept-away' look during the entire Q&A. I had quite a laugh when I went to the restroom afterwards and took a look in the mirror! That's sort of my life's story :)
I love to daydream, listen to music, play piano, read, walk in the woods and meet new people. I absolutely adore going about in my Tudor costume to talk about clothes and culture in Tudor times. I enjoy speaking at book clubs, libraries, schools, just anywhere I can talk about life in the 16th century or the writing life or anything connected with stories.
The information provided above has come from the internet along with Amazon.com and if you have signed up on amazonsmile.com you can order any of Anne Barnhill's books on line. I am sure anyone who reads our Brunswick Town blog will want to read Anne's books once they see article about her and her accomplishments. She was admitted to our Brunswick Town DAR Chapter on July 5, 2017.
