Henry D Barton

Henry Barton passed away Sunday, July 2, 2023, at Sacred Heart Covenant Hospice in Pensacola after a courageous year-long battle against cancer. His beloved wife and sons were by his side.

Henry was born in a house in rural Alabama in west Covington County almost 74 years ago. He was his mother’s “miracle baby” and his big sister’s doll baby to play with and care for. After moving to Crestview in 1959, Henry started attending Southside School, and while still in elementary school began helping his daddy run gas stations in downtown Crestview, most notably Barton’s Gulf Station at the south end of Main Street. Following his graduation from Crestview High School in 1967, he pursued a career in sheet metal fabrication at Parker Mechanical, then moved on to HVAC with several companies, including Mills Heating and Cooling, then retiring from Larry Batchelor Mechanical in 2016. Henry had a long, storied career. He exemplified the saying,”if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.” Working was his hobby. He loved his co-workers and over many years of working in the construction industry, their bonds grew as strong and deep as brothers. His passing is leaving a big, gaping hole in that band of brothers.

Henry did leave work behind on some occasions to get away for weekend visits to the Beau. He enjoyed watching sports on TV: FSU football, Braves baseball, NCAA basketball, NFL football, and NASCAR….and, he got to where he liked old movies and TV reruns.

Henry knew a little about most everything and a lot about some things. His taste in music was Southern Rock (Lynryrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Atlanta Rhythm Section, etc.) and good old timey country music like Hank Williams or Merle Haggard. You could ask him about any music he listened to and he could quote the information from the front and back of the album covers that he’d memorized from back in the day.

Henry loved being “Baby” to his wife, Dad to his sons, Pops to his grandchildren and daughters-in-law, brother to his sisters, Uncle Henry to his nieces and nephews, and “Hen” to his sisters-in-law and "H.B." on the job site. He was single-minded and purposeful in taking care of all of them. He could fix anything that broke-down, go get whatever needed getting, and find whatever tool he needed to take care of the job. He would not disappoint or let anyone down. And, when he smiled, it stretched from his mouth to the crinkles around his big brown eyes.

Henry is preceded in death by his parents, Levi Barton and Lois Quates Barton, his sister Linda Hales, his brother-in-laws Joe Caudill and Larry Welch, great niece Christina Yerby, and his nephew Steve Sasser. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Martha; son Matt and his wife and son, Sherri and Nash; son Travis and his wife Abby and children Jace, Hayes, and Keegan; sister Glenda Faye Caudill; sisters-in-law Elizabeth Weirick, Delma Welch, and Peggy Blanton; niece Rhonda Culbreth and her son Tyler; niece Karen Caudill and her daughters Jessica and Kalyn; nephews David Blanton, Calvin Welch and Hunter Welch; and great nephew Levi Sasser. He is also survived by a special aunt, Nadine Sanders, and many special members of his extended family.

A private graveside service is being held at Live Oak Memorial Park Cemetery for immediate family members. I

A Memorial Tribute for all family and friends will be held on Sunday, July 16, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. at The Loft on Main in downtown Crestview. There will be food, stories, laughter, and tears to share in honor of the best of the best, Henry Denzil Barton. In lieu of flowers the family will announce at the Memorial Tribute event the name of a charity or scholarship to which donations may be made in Henry's honor.

Arrangements are entrusted to Whitehurst Powell Funeral Home in Crestview. Guest book and condolences are available online at www.whitehurstpowellfuneralhome.com

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