Johnie "Wes" Barton

Johnie Wesley Barton, 80, of Sulphur, passed away Wednesday evening at his home. He was born to Johnie Starling Barton and Emma Gene Hindman on January 5, 1944, in Reader AR. He was a 1962 graduate of Gurdon High School in Gurdon AR. He also graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a bachelor in chemical engineering and an MBA from McNeese College in Lake Charles.

 In 1968, Wes moved to south Louisiana and shortly thereafter met the love of his life, Oneida Fay Pevoto. On May 10, 1969, they became husband and wife, and lived in Sulphur for the rest of their lives. Wes worked for PPG Industries for 37 years as a team leader. He was a part of several boards, including API and McNeese College Football Boosters. He was an active member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Sulphur.

 In 1973 he and Fay became involved with square dancing, joining the Swinging Rebels Square Dance Club. For the next 50 years they square danced all over the United States. They scheduled their vacations to coincide with the National Square Dance Convention each year, which were held in different cities throughout the United States. They served on the boards of the local, state and national square dance organizations.

 Wes was one of the founding members of Ward Six Fire Protection, ID # FP302. He was an active member of the fire department from 1988 to 2011. He retired with Fay from the department in 2011 and moved to an honorary lifetime member position, serving a total of 36 years.

 Wes and Fay loved to travel and in 2013 they went to their seventh continent, Antarctica. They also enjoyed the NASCAR races. He also loved reading everything and filling what he called the Barton Warehouse of Worthless Information. He loved sharing that knowledge with others.

 Preceding him in death is his parents, brother, Frankie, and his beloved bride of 54 years, Fay.

 Left to treasure his memory are his sister and husband, Lou and Joe May of Sparkman AR; his nieces and nephews, Jerusha Schofer, Jay May, James May, Jennifer Green, Cathy LeDoux, Gayle Snell, Joan Chesson, Allen LeDoux, Rowdy Robinson, Debbie Toman, and Diane Fontenot, and a host of grandnieces and grandnephews and great grandnieces and great grandnephews; his loving pet, Kitten; and his special caregivers/friends, Denise Suarez, Mandy Martin, Rich Snell, and Kathy Romero.

 Visitation for the public will be Sunday, December 8, 2024, from 4-6 pm and Monday, December 9, 2024, from 8-10 am. Services will be at 10 am in the Johnson & Robison Funeral Home Chapel with burial at Mimosa-South with Fire Department honors.