VANSANT, Va. — Mr. Henry M. Barton, age 80, of Vansant, Va., passed away Sunday (November 22, 2009) at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Henrietta and Harold Hale, following an extended illness. Born July 23, 1929 in Buchanan County, Va., he was a son of the late F.M. and Hazel Jackson Barton. A 1947 graduate of Garden High School, he was a multi-talented man, a published author, a licensed taxidermist, and a gifted artist, who was proud of his depiction of life through his oil paintings. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and until his health failed, he was an avid gardener. He had served as a postmaster for the U.S. Postal Service for several years and was a building contractor. Before his retirement, he was employed as a quality control building inspector, having overseen various renovations and new constructions, including Buchanan General Hospital, Miners and Merchants Bank at Tookland, and several schools in Buchanan County. He attended Liberty Church of Christ faithfully, until illness confined him to bed.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Loretta McGlothlin and Mary Catherine Inman; and two brothers, Francis Barton, Jr. and Freeman Barton.

A loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother, he leaves behind to cherish his memory his wife of fifty-nine years, Emma Jackson Barton; one son, George Barton and wife, Lisa of Big Stone Gap; two daughters, Henrietta Hale and husband, Harold of Vansant, and Barbara King and husband, George of Abingdon; three granddaughters, Tia Hensley and husband, Bobby of Flag Pond, Tenn., Christy Barton of Wise, and Chesney Barton and fiancé, Jonathan Walters of Pound; three brothers and sisters-in-law, Marvin and Alta Barton of Yorktown, J.C. and Linda Barton of Woodbridge, and Mitchell Wayne and Judi Barton of Lebanon; four sisters, Irene Stinson of Virginia Beach, Ruth Tiller and husband, Lehman of Vansant, Martha Shepherd and husband, Needam of Brookneal, Va., and Virgilee Johnson and husband, Wes of Scottsville, Va.; several nieces and nephews also survive.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel in Honaker, Va. with Evangelist Jim Hill officiating. Interment will follow in Ketron Memorial Gardens at Lebanon, Va.

Grandsons-in-law and nephews will serve as pallbearers.

Friends may call at the Honaker Funeral Home after 6:00 p.m. Tuesday.

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