Gerald Dale Barton, 68, of Athens, Texas went peacefully to be with his heavenly Father on Saturday, July 2, 2011, after his 11 year battle with multiple myeloma. (From Agent Orange - Viet Nam)
Gerald was born in Marshall, Texas on November 30, 1942, the son of Lester Ray Barton and Ida R.E. Smith Barton. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Doris Stewart Barton; daughter, Allison Noel Barton; step-daughter, Kimberley Tomlin Sone; three grandchildren, Taylor Marie Sone, Charlotte Virginia Sone, and Brandon Stewart Sone ; God daughter, Melissa Weisend; his sister, Glenda Ray Johnson and her husband, Daniel Johnson; his niece and her husband, Holly Wyn and Sean Coulter. His cousin Richard Barton.
Gerald attended all of his high school years in Marshall, Texas graduating from Marshall High School in 1961. He attended Arlington State University and then completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He attended Officers Training School and served his country as a specialist in the U.S. Army Artillery Diversion. Gerald was a generous spouse, father, grandfather, brother, and friend.
After retirement from American Airlines, he and his wife moved back to East Texas where he loved to garden and fish and be with his family. He spent the remaining years of his life in Athens, Texas. He took great pride in his three precious grandchildren. He also was a faithful friend who endeared himself to everyone who knew him. His strong sense of independence and strength will forever be with the ones who knew him well. He loved people and never met a stranger. He always took the time to reach out and to help others. He was a strong, quiet man who never complained about his pain or illness. He focused, instead, on providing love and support to his family. He loved life. He loved to clown around, loved to have fun, and loved to laugh. He was forever an optimist, a one of a kind, and he will be greatly missed by all. He lived life until the day he died. His last days were spent with his loving wife on their farm just as he would have wanted.
We love you, and we will miss you Papa G.
Services were held at 12:30pm Friday, July 8, 2011 at Wildwood Chapel at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas with visitation one hour prior to service in the chapel.
****************
Eulogy given by Minister Neil Moseley
God of Grace and Mercy, we give you thanks for the blessing of Gerald's life. We know that you are always with us, and we ask you now to comfort us in our pain and loss. Help us to find our strength and assurance in you. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray these things, Amen.
A reading from the Psalms.
1 The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
I Can Only Imagine
We are here to celebrate and to mourn. We are here to celebrate Gerald's life and at the very same time to mourn our own lives without him. In every beautiful, cherished memory, is also the hurt of knowing that he has passed from this life. But there is, dear friends, a mystery about which I have no doubt: we will see Gerald again. We will meet Gerald in the beautiful perfection that is our eternal destiny. He has gone before us, to meet our creator and our savior, who prepared a place for him and does so for us. May our lives, may our mourning and our celebrations, both, be modeled on the great man who we remember today.
A reading from Ecclesiastes:
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what has been planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
May God's Holy Spirit add to our understanding of these sacred words.
Today, dear friends, we have come to lay to his final rest, Gerald Dale Barton, and to commend to our God and Creator, his eternal spirit. In so doing, we openly acknowledge the mystery of our creation and the mysterious ways of our Creator.
When I met with Gerald's family this past Sunday, I heard many remarkable stories, stories that paint a picture of a man who was deeply loved by those he encountered, stories of a man who gave freely of himself, and worked not for recognition of his works, but to create good in the world.
"He was a successful human being," his good friend Ray told me, tender hearted and kind, and admired by all those who knew him. He didn't let his illness stop his life. He still got up. He still got out. He still gardened. He still lived and he still loved.
The stories I heard do not fit into the genre of what we typically call "love stories," but that's what I heard in the reflections of those that were closest to him. Gerald, in each and every day, created love stories. His life was a reflection of a purer love, a divine love, the love of his heavenly Father, and Gerald lived out that love in his relationships with his family and friends.
Sonny Boy, as he was known by some, was honorable, and he grew into the quintessential Southern gentleman. He opened doors, always walked closest the street when he accompanied a lady of any age, never wanted his wife or daughter to pump their own gas when he was around, and he enjoyed passing on this gentlemanly behavior to the younger generations, especially his grandson Brandon, teaching him to open doors for others and to shake hands like a man.
This was part of a love story that Papa G wrote with his children and grandchildren. He loved playing games with Brandon, Charli and Taylor. He stepped in during their dark times, their times of loss, and he comforted and consoled. He looked forward to teaching Taylor to drive. They spent many hours together, hours that Papa G cherished, hours that Taylor cherishes. He spent long, wonderful hours with Charli, good together time, a time of teaching and guiding and laughing. Papa G wanted his grandchildren to learn the right path, and to know that he loved them. Papa G was a gift from God. You know that, I know. The hours playing games, Brandon, Taylor, and Charli, were a gift that Papa G gave to you, and they were a gift that he received from you, and oh how he cherished the gift of your time and love.
And Papa wrote a story of love with you, too, Allison. You and Dad shared a million games of Chinese checkers, and long car rides through East Texas in his old ram truck, GORT, and you shared lots of conversation. He was so proud of your accomplishments, of your education, and of your commitment to be with people in their darkest and most vulnerable times. Your life reflects God's love that your dad taught you. He comforted you with his strong and steady hands. And you are who you are because of the love that you shared together.
And Kim, Gerald stepped into the role of father for you when your own father passed. And he comforted and guided and loved. With him, you knew you were not alone, not out there on your own. That's a precious story of love.
Dardee, as Gerald was called by his sister Glenda Rae, believed in respect; he respected his mother, his grandmother, his aunt and his sister. No doubt he learned how to treat women from being surrounded by women?. He did not take for granted the kindness of others, and he never ridiculed anyone. He was kind, and he empathized with those in pain or in need. And he did not take for granted the things that he had. He kept all his old bikes and wagons, he loved his cars, especially his 49 Mercury and that old ram truck. And he took thousands of pictures and he kept every one.
Gerald knew not to take things for granted. He became the man of the house when he lost his father at age twelve. And he served his country in Vietnam, and watched his friends and fellows die for their country. Even to his final days, he never failed to cross the street or the parking lot or the restaurant to thank a serviceman or woman for their sacrifice for our freedom. He knew not to take things for granted.
"Be alert!" he'd always say. He was protective, and he was a presence. And perhaps he hoped that if he could not be present to protect, that his exhortations to "be alert" might keep his dear ones from danger.
And perhaps he wanted his family to always be alert for those in need. I heard this week of how Gerald took notice of a friend in need, Charles Macintyre, who was dying of cancer. Gerald uprooted himself, moved away from Dallas, changed his life, and several times a week went and visited Charles. He took Charles out to eat, on drives, to talk and to give his friend a window back into life. What an extraordinary example of Christian love, what an extraordinary love story.
Gerald had a great sense of humor; he was a teddy bear; and, boy, he was handsome.
He loved animals, just ask Snowflake the dog, who always got more human food when Papa G was around, and, naturally, the animals loved him. But, you better be wary if you're a bass in Caddo Lake, because Gerald was out for you.
And there was another great love story in Gerald's life, the years of love that he shared with his high school sweetheart and wife, Doris. They met in the 1st grade, and were bonded ever after. Doris, there are no words that I can say, no stories that I can recount, that will ever come close to describing the love between you and Gerald. And there are no words that can dissolve your pain at the loss of your true love.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges us to hope beyond our present pain and tells us how we will be made perfect in him, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." We mourn today, and will mourn for many days to come, but God is always with us to comfort us. God will wipe the tears from our faces, as Isaiah said, and hold us up.
We know, all of us, that our time here is short, and yet mysteriously, we cling to "forever." We know that we are mortal, and yet we hope that things will last forever. It is a mystery of the infinite Holy Spirit within us.
Doris, your loving husband, who cherished all the time that he had with you, has moved beyond this temporary life. He has gone on to his eternal Father, to his savior Jesus Christ, to dwell in perfection. He is beyond pain. His suffering has passed away. He has put on immortality. His joy is complete.
May we thank God for every day, every moment that we had with Gerald. May we remember all the games and talks and all the love. And may we always "be alert," seeking and finding God in our own lives, seeing those around us in need, and stepping in to demonstrate God's love, living a humble and gracious life, just like Gerald did.
In Paul's letter to his friends at the church in Rome, he comforts them saying, "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." May Paul's words of assurance resound in our hearts and may we truly know that even as we mourn, God is with us, and Gerald is with us. Amen.
Please join me now in a moment of silent prayer and the recitation of the Lord's Prayer.
Our Father..... ...
How Great Thou Art
God of all creation, move in us this day, that we may be inspired by Gerald's example, to bring love into this world, to work for good, to build up others, and to cherish all of our blessings.
Strengthen us when we are weak. Comfort us when we are sad. And keep us always centered on what you would have us to do.
It's in Christ Jesus' name and for the sake of his kingdom that we pray these things, Amen.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Please visit http://bartondoorblock.com/ in tribute for Gerald Barton.
Gerald was born in Marshall, Texas on November 30, 1942, the son of Lester Ray Barton and Ida R.E. Smith Barton. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Doris Stewart Barton; daughter, Allison Noel Barton; step-daughter, Kimberley Tomlin Sone; three grandchildren, Taylor Marie Sone, Charlotte Virginia Sone, and Brandon Stewart Sone ; God daughter, Melissa Weisend; his sister, Glenda Ray Johnson and her husband, Daniel Johnson; his niece and her husband, Holly Wyn and Sean Coulter. His cousin Richard Barton.
Gerald attended all of his high school years in Marshall, Texas graduating from Marshall High School in 1961. He attended Arlington State University and then completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He attended Officers Training School and served his country as a specialist in the U.S. Army Artillery Diversion. Gerald was a generous spouse, father, grandfather, brother, and friend.
After retirement from American Airlines, he and his wife moved back to East Texas where he loved to garden and fish and be with his family. He spent the remaining years of his life in Athens, Texas. He took great pride in his three precious grandchildren. He also was a faithful friend who endeared himself to everyone who knew him. His strong sense of independence and strength will forever be with the ones who knew him well. He loved people and never met a stranger. He always took the time to reach out and to help others. He was a strong, quiet man who never complained about his pain or illness. He focused, instead, on providing love and support to his family. He loved life. He loved to clown around, loved to have fun, and loved to laugh. He was forever an optimist, a one of a kind, and he will be greatly missed by all. He lived life until the day he died. His last days were spent with his loving wife on their farm just as he would have wanted.
We love you, and we will miss you Papa G.
Services were held at 12:30pm Friday, July 8, 2011 at Wildwood Chapel at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas with visitation one hour prior to service in the chapel.
****************
Eulogy given by Minister Neil Moseley
God of Grace and Mercy, we give you thanks for the blessing of Gerald's life. We know that you are always with us, and we ask you now to comfort us in our pain and loss. Help us to find our strength and assurance in you. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray these things, Amen.
A reading from the Psalms.
1 The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
I Can Only Imagine
We are here to celebrate and to mourn. We are here to celebrate Gerald's life and at the very same time to mourn our own lives without him. In every beautiful, cherished memory, is also the hurt of knowing that he has passed from this life. But there is, dear friends, a mystery about which I have no doubt: we will see Gerald again. We will meet Gerald in the beautiful perfection that is our eternal destiny. He has gone before us, to meet our creator and our savior, who prepared a place for him and does so for us. May our lives, may our mourning and our celebrations, both, be modeled on the great man who we remember today.
A reading from Ecclesiastes:
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what has been planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
May God's Holy Spirit add to our understanding of these sacred words.
Today, dear friends, we have come to lay to his final rest, Gerald Dale Barton, and to commend to our God and Creator, his eternal spirit. In so doing, we openly acknowledge the mystery of our creation and the mysterious ways of our Creator.
When I met with Gerald's family this past Sunday, I heard many remarkable stories, stories that paint a picture of a man who was deeply loved by those he encountered, stories of a man who gave freely of himself, and worked not for recognition of his works, but to create good in the world.
"He was a successful human being," his good friend Ray told me, tender hearted and kind, and admired by all those who knew him. He didn't let his illness stop his life. He still got up. He still got out. He still gardened. He still lived and he still loved.
The stories I heard do not fit into the genre of what we typically call "love stories," but that's what I heard in the reflections of those that were closest to him. Gerald, in each and every day, created love stories. His life was a reflection of a purer love, a divine love, the love of his heavenly Father, and Gerald lived out that love in his relationships with his family and friends.
Sonny Boy, as he was known by some, was honorable, and he grew into the quintessential Southern gentleman. He opened doors, always walked closest the street when he accompanied a lady of any age, never wanted his wife or daughter to pump their own gas when he was around, and he enjoyed passing on this gentlemanly behavior to the younger generations, especially his grandson Brandon, teaching him to open doors for others and to shake hands like a man.
This was part of a love story that Papa G wrote with his children and grandchildren. He loved playing games with Brandon, Charli and Taylor. He stepped in during their dark times, their times of loss, and he comforted and consoled. He looked forward to teaching Taylor to drive. They spent many hours together, hours that Papa G cherished, hours that Taylor cherishes. He spent long, wonderful hours with Charli, good together time, a time of teaching and guiding and laughing. Papa G wanted his grandchildren to learn the right path, and to know that he loved them. Papa G was a gift from God. You know that, I know. The hours playing games, Brandon, Taylor, and Charli, were a gift that Papa G gave to you, and they were a gift that he received from you, and oh how he cherished the gift of your time and love.
And Papa wrote a story of love with you, too, Allison. You and Dad shared a million games of Chinese checkers, and long car rides through East Texas in his old ram truck, GORT, and you shared lots of conversation. He was so proud of your accomplishments, of your education, and of your commitment to be with people in their darkest and most vulnerable times. Your life reflects God's love that your dad taught you. He comforted you with his strong and steady hands. And you are who you are because of the love that you shared together.
And Kim, Gerald stepped into the role of father for you when your own father passed. And he comforted and guided and loved. With him, you knew you were not alone, not out there on your own. That's a precious story of love.
Dardee, as Gerald was called by his sister Glenda Rae, believed in respect; he respected his mother, his grandmother, his aunt and his sister. No doubt he learned how to treat women from being surrounded by women?. He did not take for granted the kindness of others, and he never ridiculed anyone. He was kind, and he empathized with those in pain or in need. And he did not take for granted the things that he had. He kept all his old bikes and wagons, he loved his cars, especially his 49 Mercury and that old ram truck. And he took thousands of pictures and he kept every one.
Gerald knew not to take things for granted. He became the man of the house when he lost his father at age twelve. And he served his country in Vietnam, and watched his friends and fellows die for their country. Even to his final days, he never failed to cross the street or the parking lot or the restaurant to thank a serviceman or woman for their sacrifice for our freedom. He knew not to take things for granted.
"Be alert!" he'd always say. He was protective, and he was a presence. And perhaps he hoped that if he could not be present to protect, that his exhortations to "be alert" might keep his dear ones from danger.
And perhaps he wanted his family to always be alert for those in need. I heard this week of how Gerald took notice of a friend in need, Charles Macintyre, who was dying of cancer. Gerald uprooted himself, moved away from Dallas, changed his life, and several times a week went and visited Charles. He took Charles out to eat, on drives, to talk and to give his friend a window back into life. What an extraordinary example of Christian love, what an extraordinary love story.
Gerald had a great sense of humor; he was a teddy bear; and, boy, he was handsome.
He loved animals, just ask Snowflake the dog, who always got more human food when Papa G was around, and, naturally, the animals loved him. But, you better be wary if you're a bass in Caddo Lake, because Gerald was out for you.
And there was another great love story in Gerald's life, the years of love that he shared with his high school sweetheart and wife, Doris. They met in the 1st grade, and were bonded ever after. Doris, there are no words that I can say, no stories that I can recount, that will ever come close to describing the love between you and Gerald. And there are no words that can dissolve your pain at the loss of your true love.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges us to hope beyond our present pain and tells us how we will be made perfect in him, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." We mourn today, and will mourn for many days to come, but God is always with us to comfort us. God will wipe the tears from our faces, as Isaiah said, and hold us up.
We know, all of us, that our time here is short, and yet mysteriously, we cling to "forever." We know that we are mortal, and yet we hope that things will last forever. It is a mystery of the infinite Holy Spirit within us.
Doris, your loving husband, who cherished all the time that he had with you, has moved beyond this temporary life. He has gone on to his eternal Father, to his savior Jesus Christ, to dwell in perfection. He is beyond pain. His suffering has passed away. He has put on immortality. His joy is complete.
May we thank God for every day, every moment that we had with Gerald. May we remember all the games and talks and all the love. And may we always "be alert," seeking and finding God in our own lives, seeing those around us in need, and stepping in to demonstrate God's love, living a humble and gracious life, just like Gerald did.
In Paul's letter to his friends at the church in Rome, he comforts them saying, "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." May Paul's words of assurance resound in our hearts and may we truly know that even as we mourn, God is with us, and Gerald is with us. Amen.
Please join me now in a moment of silent prayer and the recitation of the Lord's Prayer.
Our Father..... ...
How Great Thou Art
God of all creation, move in us this day, that we may be inspired by Gerald's example, to bring love into this world, to work for good, to build up others, and to cherish all of our blessings.
Strengthen us when we are weak. Comfort us when we are sad. And keep us always centered on what you would have us to do.
It's in Christ Jesus' name and for the sake of his kingdom that we pray these things, Amen.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Please visit http://bartondoorblock.com/ in tribute for Gerald Barton.
Gerald Dale Barton, 68, of Athens, Texas went peacefully to be with his heavenly Father on Saturday, July 2, 2011, after his 11 year battle with multiple myeloma. (From Agent Orange - Viet Nam)
Gerald was born in Marshall, Texas on November 30, 1942, the son of Lester Ray Barton and Ida R.E. Smith Barton. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Doris Stewart Barton; daughter, Allison Noel Barton; step-daughter, Kimberley Tomlin Sone; three grandchildren, Taylor Marie Sone, Charlotte Virginia Sone, and Brandon Stewart Sone ; God daughter, Melissa Weisend; his sister, Glenda Ray Johnson and her husband, Daniel Johnson; his niece and her husband, Holly Wyn and Sean Coulter. His cousin Richard Barton.
Gerald attended all of his high school years in Marshall, Texas graduating from Marshall High School in 1961. He attended Arlington State University and then completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He attended Officers Training School and served his country as a specialist in the U.S. Army Artillery Diversion. Gerald was a generous spouse, father, grandfather, brother, and friend.
After retirement from American Airlines, he and his wife moved back to East Texas where he loved to garden and fish and be with his family. He spent the remaining years of his life in Athens, Texas. He took great pride in his three precious grandchildren. He also was a faithful friend who endeared himself to everyone who knew him. His strong sense of independence and strength will forever be with the ones who knew him well. He loved people and never met a stranger. He always took the time to reach out and to help others. He was a strong, quiet man who never complained about his pain or illness. He focused, instead, on providing love and support to his family. He loved life. He loved to clown around, loved to have fun, and loved to laugh. He was forever an optimist, a one of a kind, and he will be greatly missed by all. He lived life until the day he died. His last days were spent with his loving wife on their farm just as he would have wanted.
We love you, and we will miss you Papa G.
Services were held at 12:30pm Friday, July 8, 2011 at Wildwood Chapel at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas with visitation one hour prior to service in the chapel.
****************
Eulogy given by Minister Neil Moseley
God of Grace and Mercy, we give you thanks for the blessing of Gerald's life. We know that you are always with us, and we ask you now to comfort us in our pain and loss. Help us to find our strength and assurance in you. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray these things, Amen.
A reading from the Psalms.
1 The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
I Can Only Imagine
We are here to celebrate and to mourn. We are here to celebrate Gerald's life and at the very same time to mourn our own lives without him. In every beautiful, cherished memory, is also the hurt of knowing that he has passed from this life. But there is, dear friends, a mystery about which I have no doubt: we will see Gerald again. We will meet Gerald in the beautiful perfection that is our eternal destiny. He has gone before us, to meet our creator and our savior, who prepared a place for him and does so for us. May our lives, may our mourning and our celebrations, both, be modeled on the great man who we remember today.
A reading from Ecclesiastes:
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what has been planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
May God's Holy Spirit add to our understanding of these sacred words.
Today, dear friends, we have come to lay to his final rest, Gerald Dale Barton, and to commend to our God and Creator, his eternal spirit. In so doing, we openly acknowledge the mystery of our creation and the mysterious ways of our Creator.
When I met with Gerald's family this past Sunday, I heard many remarkable stories, stories that paint a picture of a man who was deeply loved by those he encountered, stories of a man who gave freely of himself, and worked not for recognition of his works, but to create good in the world.
"He was a successful human being," his good friend Ray told me, tender hearted and kind, and admired by all those who knew him. He didn't let his illness stop his life. He still got up. He still got out. He still gardened. He still lived and he still loved.
The stories I heard do not fit into the genre of what we typically call "love stories," but that's what I heard in the reflections of those that were closest to him. Gerald, in each and every day, created love stories. His life was a reflection of a purer love, a divine love, the love of his heavenly Father, and Gerald lived out that love in his relationships with his family and friends.
Sonny Boy, as he was known by some, was honorable, and he grew into the quintessential Southern gentleman. He opened doors, always walked closest the street when he accompanied a lady of any age, never wanted his wife or daughter to pump their own gas when he was around, and he enjoyed passing on this gentlemanly behavior to the younger generations, especially his grandson Brandon, teaching him to open doors for others and to shake hands like a man.
This was part of a love story that Papa G wrote with his children and grandchildren. He loved playing games with Brandon, Charli and Taylor. He stepped in during their dark times, their times of loss, and he comforted and consoled. He looked forward to teaching Taylor to drive. They spent many hours together, hours that Papa G cherished, hours that Taylor cherishes. He spent long, wonderful hours with Charli, good together time, a time of teaching and guiding and laughing. Papa G wanted his grandchildren to learn the right path, and to know that he loved them. Papa G was a gift from God. You know that, I know. The hours playing games, Brandon, Taylor, and Charli, were a gift that Papa G gave to you, and they were a gift that he received from you, and oh how he cherished the gift of your time and love.
And Papa wrote a story of love with you, too, Allison. You and Dad shared a million games of Chinese checkers, and long car rides through East Texas in his old ram truck, GORT, and you shared lots of conversation. He was so proud of your accomplishments, of your education, and of your commitment to be with people in their darkest and most vulnerable times. Your life reflects God's love that your dad taught you. He comforted you with his strong and steady hands. And you are who you are because of the love that you shared together.
And Kim, Gerald stepped into the role of father for you when your own father passed. And he comforted and guided and loved. With him, you knew you were not alone, not out there on your own. That's a precious story of love.
Dardee, as Gerald was called by his sister Glenda Rae, believed in respect; he respected his mother, his grandmother, his aunt and his sister. No doubt he learned how to treat women from being surrounded by women?. He did not take for granted the kindness of others, and he never ridiculed anyone. He was kind, and he empathized with those in pain or in need. And he did not take for granted the things that he had. He kept all his old bikes and wagons, he loved his cars, especially his 49 Mercury and that old ram truck. And he took thousands of pictures and he kept every one.
Gerald knew not to take things for granted. He became the man of the house when he lost his father at age twelve. And he served his country in Vietnam, and watched his friends and fellows die for their country. Even to his final days, he never failed to cross the street or the parking lot or the restaurant to thank a serviceman or woman for their sacrifice for our freedom. He knew not to take things for granted.
"Be alert!" he'd always say. He was protective, and he was a presence. And perhaps he hoped that if he could not be present to protect, that his exhortations to "be alert" might keep his dear ones from danger.
And perhaps he wanted his family to always be alert for those in need. I heard this week of how Gerald took notice of a friend in need, Charles Macintyre, who was dying of cancer. Gerald uprooted himself, moved away from Dallas, changed his life, and several times a week went and visited Charles. He took Charles out to eat, on drives, to talk and to give his friend a window back into life. What an extraordinary example of Christian love, what an extraordinary love story.
Gerald had a great sense of humor; he was a teddy bear; and, boy, he was handsome.
He loved animals, just ask Snowflake the dog, who always got more human food when Papa G was around, and, naturally, the animals loved him. But, you better be wary if you're a bass in Caddo Lake, because Gerald was out for you.
And there was another great love story in Gerald's life, the years of love that he shared with his high school sweetheart and wife, Doris. They met in the 1st grade, and were bonded ever after. Doris, there are no words that I can say, no stories that I can recount, that will ever come close to describing the love between you and Gerald. And there are no words that can dissolve your pain at the loss of your true love.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges us to hope beyond our present pain and tells us how we will be made perfect in him, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." We mourn today, and will mourn for many days to come, but God is always with us to comfort us. God will wipe the tears from our faces, as Isaiah said, and hold us up.
We know, all of us, that our time here is short, and yet mysteriously, we cling to "forever." We know that we are mortal, and yet we hope that things will last forever. It is a mystery of the infinite Holy Spirit within us.
Doris, your loving husband, who cherished all the time that he had with you, has moved beyond this temporary life. He has gone on to his eternal Father, to his savior Jesus Christ, to dwell in perfection. He is beyond pain. His suffering has passed away. He has put on immortality. His joy is complete.
May we thank God for every day, every moment that we had with Gerald. May we remember all the games and talks and all the love. And may we always "be alert," seeking and finding God in our own lives, seeing those around us in need, and stepping in to demonstrate God's love, living a humble and gracious life, just like Gerald did.
In Paul's letter to his friends at the church in Rome, he comforts them saying, "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." May Paul's words of assurance resound in our hearts and may we truly know that even as we mourn, God is with us, and Gerald is with us. Amen.
Please join me now in a moment of silent prayer and the recitation of the Lord's Prayer.
Our Father..... ...
How Great Thou Art
God of all creation, move in us this day, that we may be inspired by Gerald's example, to bring love into this world, to work for good, to build up others, and to cherish all of our blessings.
Strengthen us when we are weak. Comfort us when we are sad. And keep us always centered on what you would have us to do.
It's in Christ Jesus' name and for the sake of his kingdom that we pray these things, Amen.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Please visit http://bartondoorblock.com/ in tribute for Gerald Barton.
Gerald was born in Marshall, Texas on November 30, 1942, the son of Lester Ray Barton and Ida R.E. Smith Barton. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Doris Stewart Barton; daughter, Allison Noel Barton; step-daughter, Kimberley Tomlin Sone; three grandchildren, Taylor Marie Sone, Charlotte Virginia Sone, and Brandon Stewart Sone ; God daughter, Melissa Weisend; his sister, Glenda Ray Johnson and her husband, Daniel Johnson; his niece and her husband, Holly Wyn and Sean Coulter. His cousin Richard Barton.
Gerald attended all of his high school years in Marshall, Texas graduating from Marshall High School in 1961. He attended Arlington State University and then completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He attended Officers Training School and served his country as a specialist in the U.S. Army Artillery Diversion. Gerald was a generous spouse, father, grandfather, brother, and friend.
After retirement from American Airlines, he and his wife moved back to East Texas where he loved to garden and fish and be with his family. He spent the remaining years of his life in Athens, Texas. He took great pride in his three precious grandchildren. He also was a faithful friend who endeared himself to everyone who knew him. His strong sense of independence and strength will forever be with the ones who knew him well. He loved people and never met a stranger. He always took the time to reach out and to help others. He was a strong, quiet man who never complained about his pain or illness. He focused, instead, on providing love and support to his family. He loved life. He loved to clown around, loved to have fun, and loved to laugh. He was forever an optimist, a one of a kind, and he will be greatly missed by all. He lived life until the day he died. His last days were spent with his loving wife on their farm just as he would have wanted.
We love you, and we will miss you Papa G.
Services were held at 12:30pm Friday, July 8, 2011 at Wildwood Chapel at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas with visitation one hour prior to service in the chapel.
****************
Eulogy given by Minister Neil Moseley
God of Grace and Mercy, we give you thanks for the blessing of Gerald's life. We know that you are always with us, and we ask you now to comfort us in our pain and loss. Help us to find our strength and assurance in you. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray these things, Amen.
A reading from the Psalms.
1 The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
I Can Only Imagine
We are here to celebrate and to mourn. We are here to celebrate Gerald's life and at the very same time to mourn our own lives without him. In every beautiful, cherished memory, is also the hurt of knowing that he has passed from this life. But there is, dear friends, a mystery about which I have no doubt: we will see Gerald again. We will meet Gerald in the beautiful perfection that is our eternal destiny. He has gone before us, to meet our creator and our savior, who prepared a place for him and does so for us. May our lives, may our mourning and our celebrations, both, be modeled on the great man who we remember today.
A reading from Ecclesiastes:
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what has been planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
May God's Holy Spirit add to our understanding of these sacred words.
Today, dear friends, we have come to lay to his final rest, Gerald Dale Barton, and to commend to our God and Creator, his eternal spirit. In so doing, we openly acknowledge the mystery of our creation and the mysterious ways of our Creator.
When I met with Gerald's family this past Sunday, I heard many remarkable stories, stories that paint a picture of a man who was deeply loved by those he encountered, stories of a man who gave freely of himself, and worked not for recognition of his works, but to create good in the world.
"He was a successful human being," his good friend Ray told me, tender hearted and kind, and admired by all those who knew him. He didn't let his illness stop his life. He still got up. He still got out. He still gardened. He still lived and he still loved.
The stories I heard do not fit into the genre of what we typically call "love stories," but that's what I heard in the reflections of those that were closest to him. Gerald, in each and every day, created love stories. His life was a reflection of a purer love, a divine love, the love of his heavenly Father, and Gerald lived out that love in his relationships with his family and friends.
Sonny Boy, as he was known by some, was honorable, and he grew into the quintessential Southern gentleman. He opened doors, always walked closest the street when he accompanied a lady of any age, never wanted his wife or daughter to pump their own gas when he was around, and he enjoyed passing on this gentlemanly behavior to the younger generations, especially his grandson Brandon, teaching him to open doors for others and to shake hands like a man.
This was part of a love story that Papa G wrote with his children and grandchildren. He loved playing games with Brandon, Charli and Taylor. He stepped in during their dark times, their times of loss, and he comforted and consoled. He looked forward to teaching Taylor to drive. They spent many hours together, hours that Papa G cherished, hours that Taylor cherishes. He spent long, wonderful hours with Charli, good together time, a time of teaching and guiding and laughing. Papa G wanted his grandchildren to learn the right path, and to know that he loved them. Papa G was a gift from God. You know that, I know. The hours playing games, Brandon, Taylor, and Charli, were a gift that Papa G gave to you, and they were a gift that he received from you, and oh how he cherished the gift of your time and love.
And Papa wrote a story of love with you, too, Allison. You and Dad shared a million games of Chinese checkers, and long car rides through East Texas in his old ram truck, GORT, and you shared lots of conversation. He was so proud of your accomplishments, of your education, and of your commitment to be with people in their darkest and most vulnerable times. Your life reflects God's love that your dad taught you. He comforted you with his strong and steady hands. And you are who you are because of the love that you shared together.
And Kim, Gerald stepped into the role of father for you when your own father passed. And he comforted and guided and loved. With him, you knew you were not alone, not out there on your own. That's a precious story of love.
Dardee, as Gerald was called by his sister Glenda Rae, believed in respect; he respected his mother, his grandmother, his aunt and his sister. No doubt he learned how to treat women from being surrounded by women?. He did not take for granted the kindness of others, and he never ridiculed anyone. He was kind, and he empathized with those in pain or in need. And he did not take for granted the things that he had. He kept all his old bikes and wagons, he loved his cars, especially his 49 Mercury and that old ram truck. And he took thousands of pictures and he kept every one.
Gerald knew not to take things for granted. He became the man of the house when he lost his father at age twelve. And he served his country in Vietnam, and watched his friends and fellows die for their country. Even to his final days, he never failed to cross the street or the parking lot or the restaurant to thank a serviceman or woman for their sacrifice for our freedom. He knew not to take things for granted.
"Be alert!" he'd always say. He was protective, and he was a presence. And perhaps he hoped that if he could not be present to protect, that his exhortations to "be alert" might keep his dear ones from danger.
And perhaps he wanted his family to always be alert for those in need. I heard this week of how Gerald took notice of a friend in need, Charles Macintyre, who was dying of cancer. Gerald uprooted himself, moved away from Dallas, changed his life, and several times a week went and visited Charles. He took Charles out to eat, on drives, to talk and to give his friend a window back into life. What an extraordinary example of Christian love, what an extraordinary love story.
Gerald had a great sense of humor; he was a teddy bear; and, boy, he was handsome.
He loved animals, just ask Snowflake the dog, who always got more human food when Papa G was around, and, naturally, the animals loved him. But, you better be wary if you're a bass in Caddo Lake, because Gerald was out for you.
And there was another great love story in Gerald's life, the years of love that he shared with his high school sweetheart and wife, Doris. They met in the 1st grade, and were bonded ever after. Doris, there are no words that I can say, no stories that I can recount, that will ever come close to describing the love between you and Gerald. And there are no words that can dissolve your pain at the loss of your true love.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges us to hope beyond our present pain and tells us how we will be made perfect in him, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." We mourn today, and will mourn for many days to come, but God is always with us to comfort us. God will wipe the tears from our faces, as Isaiah said, and hold us up.
We know, all of us, that our time here is short, and yet mysteriously, we cling to "forever." We know that we are mortal, and yet we hope that things will last forever. It is a mystery of the infinite Holy Spirit within us.
Doris, your loving husband, who cherished all the time that he had with you, has moved beyond this temporary life. He has gone on to his eternal Father, to his savior Jesus Christ, to dwell in perfection. He is beyond pain. His suffering has passed away. He has put on immortality. His joy is complete.
May we thank God for every day, every moment that we had with Gerald. May we remember all the games and talks and all the love. And may we always "be alert," seeking and finding God in our own lives, seeing those around us in need, and stepping in to demonstrate God's love, living a humble and gracious life, just like Gerald did.
In Paul's letter to his friends at the church in Rome, he comforts them saying, "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." May Paul's words of assurance resound in our hearts and may we truly know that even as we mourn, God is with us, and Gerald is with us. Amen.
Please join me now in a moment of silent prayer and the recitation of the Lord's Prayer.
Our Father..... ...
How Great Thou Art
God of all creation, move in us this day, that we may be inspired by Gerald's example, to bring love into this world, to work for good, to build up others, and to cherish all of our blessings.
Strengthen us when we are weak. Comfort us when we are sad. And keep us always centered on what you would have us to do.
It's in Christ Jesus' name and for the sake of his kingdom that we pray these things, Amen.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Please visit http://bartondoorblock.com/ in tribute for Gerald Barton.
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