April 20-- Barney Bonfield, who was born in Birmingham, Alabama on December 3, 1959, passed away on Sunday, April 19, 2020 in Birmingham. Barney attended Mountain Brook High School and graduated from Birmingham Southern College in 1982.While still in high school, Barney worked with the Birmingham Bulls Hockey Team as videographer. During college he spent afternoons, weekends and semester interims working in the sports department at Channel 6. During this time, he served as Public Address Announcer for University of Alabama at Birmingham basketball and Birmingham Southern College basketball and baseball.
After college, he served as Assistant Sports Broadcaster in Montgomery for WCOV TV-20. A stint of 5 years in Griffin, Georgia with WKEU was followed by a position as Morning Show Host and Sports Director with WLYU in Vidalia, Georgia. During his career, his many honors included multiple Associated Press Awards for excellence in sports play-by-play; and the Georgia Association of Broadcasters Award for Excellence in Sports Reporting. In 1999, he was named Radio Personality of the Year by the Georgia Association of Broadcasters and received First Place for Sports Reporting by the Society of Professional Journalists.
Through his web site, http://www.toombsnow.com , Barney provided lively coverage of sports events throughout the county. He supported and encouraged young athletes and avidly followed their later athletic achievements and was known affectionately throughout the county.
Barney was preceded in death by his father, Robert “Bobby” Bonfield. He is survived by mother, Barbara Goldstein Bonfield, sister, Susan Bonfield (Dave Schimel) Boulder, Colorado, nephew, Forrest McKinney, Tel Aviv, Israel, aunt, Myrna Abis, Memphis, TN, Jimmy Goldstein, Lincoln, AL as well as numerous cousins.
The family would like to extend deep appreciation to the community who helped Barney through his illness; the outstanding staff at the UAB Bone Marrow Clinic including Dr. Omer Jamy, Oncologist and the outpatient clinic team and to the amazing staff of Amedysis Hospice, especially Matthew Dodson.
In compliance with Covid 19 rules, a private burial will take place at 10:00 a.m. CT, 11:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, April 22 at Block 40, Elmwood Cemetery with Cantor Jessica Roskin officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Barney Bonfield Scholarship Fund at the Vidalia Federal Savings Bank, 300 Jackson Street, Vidalia, GA 30474.
Service will live-streamed on the Johns-Ridout's Funeral Homes Facebook page.
