Charles "Bill" William Barton

Uncle Bill introduced my feet to the pleasures of Desenex; together with Aunt gave me my first wrist watch as a birthday (10th? 11th?) present (I've worn one ever since); and he always called me 'Steve-o'. A great guy who lived well, laughed often and loved much!

Eulogy read at the funeral service:

I am David Barton, middle of the three kids, and I wanted to say a few words for the family.

First, thank you all for attending this service. It is very gratifying (though not surprising) to see just how many lives Dad touched.

Secondly, please keep Mom in your thoughts and help her move forward while keeping the many wonderful memories of her life with Dad. When you do something for 65 years, it is a tough habit to break. She has a lot more living to do with all of us.

Dad was really an amazing guy. Starting with literally nothing (he was orphaned by age 5), his life is a story of challenges met with inspiration, motivation, responsibility, and commitment. Although he had a very tough beginning, he was fortunate to meet some very good people along the way.

After his parents wore gone, he bounced around between a relative in Portland and a foster setting or two. His only sibling, sister Gloria (10 years older), married quite young to a wonderful man, Carl Holt. She and Carl took Dad into their home. He grew up as a kind of Big Brother / Uncle Bill to his nieces; Shirley, Georgia, and Patty.

Dad’s real father figure during those teenage years was Steve Jordan, a pharmacist and owner of the nearby Jordan’s Drug. Dad worked at the soda fountain and delivered prescriptions on his bicycle starting at age 12 or 13. His admiration of Mr. Jordan cemented his career desire of becoming a pharmacist himself.

High School was here at Yakima High. I am sure he and his pal, Gordon Adamson, did a few things we never heard about. But the best thing Dad got out of High School was meeting Mom (make that Dorothy Jean Crow at that time). That was 1944 and WWII was in full swing. Dad graduated early and went into the Army for about two years. Shortly after the war was over, he was discharged and returned to Yakima. He and Mom married on September 12, 1948. Of all the smart moves Dad made over the years, he always said this was his very best.

Mom and Dad moved to Seattle and worked hard as a team, putting Dad through Pharmacy School at UW. They returned to Yakima where Dad began his 40 year career as a retail pharmacist.
Shortly thereafter, they wanted a change of scenery, an adventure, and a way to put away some money so they moved to the Territory of Alaska (Alaska was not yet a State!) For two years, they lived on Mom’s wages and banked Dad’s salary, saving $5000; a lot of dough in 1953. (That’s not to say that they did not have any fun, as I know Bert Swedin was up there as well.) They moved back to Yakima and started a family.

Family was always top priority for Dad. As an adult, I can recall many great times of staying up too late and having one too many Scotch and Sodas with Dad, telling him how good, really too good, he was at doing what he set out to do—making our lives richer and easier than his.

Dad lead by example in teaching us most of life’s lessons. Lots of subtle, little things that meant a lot to us kids. He worked 6 days a week for many years, but always came home for dinner as a family. Often, we would tuck us into bed then run back to his store to get organized for the next day. When we had a mid-day school event like the Christmas musical program, there he’d be in the back of the audience, standing there in his white druggist smock. Probably there just long enough for us to see him, then back to work, but we knew he cared a lot.

We had lots of great times with family and friends; our annual trip to the beach, with clam digging, kite flying, go-carts, and horseback riding. And our two Big Vacations growing up, the trip to Disneyland (by plane no less- a big deal back then) and the tent trailer and Winnebago trip to Yellowstone with Uncle Dick and family. Great memories…All.

Some of our favorite “Dadisms”:

“Make a buck but only spend 90 cents”
“Never laugh at others’ misfortune”
“Cheaters never win, and winners never cheat”
“It’s just as easy to smile at an ugly girl as it is to smile at a pretty one”

All of those words were more than just sayings, he truly lived by them.

Dad genuinely felt that everyone had something to offer. And he loved engaging people in conversation as he was sure to learn something. He always had a pen and notepad with him; Mom had to sew breast pockets on his knit shirts so he’d have a place for his pen and paper - didn’t want to miss an interesting comment or stock tip or item of curiosity to him. Something he’d investigate at his next opportunity.

He loved words; reading every paper and magazine he could get his hands on and writing letters to politicians and corporate executives that highlighted his sarcastic wit. If someone was up for some intellectual sparring, they had better bring their “A” game as he possessed a very agile mind.

I could probably go on for days, really. We lost someone we love and it hurts. Even though Dad is gone, he will remain in our lives forever; guiding us, making us laugh, and watching over us. May we continue his legacy by working daily to be as good a man as he was.


DRB 7/12/2010

Thanks for the info on Bill – Dad and I will send the Yakima Fund a $100 contribution in Bill’s name – knowing Bill was wonderful – he was always so gracious and interested in people – and definitely the conversationalist – though we only saw him periodically - we will miss him - absolutely one of those people you think of when you think of the kind people you have known – in many ways Bill reminded me of my dad.

Hi Dave,

I just got an email from Dae telling me about your dad. I am sorry I was not there Monday. My condolences my friend. I do not know what it will be like to say goodbye to my parents, but I am sure it will be very difficult when the time comes. Although I did not know your dad extremely well, the times I was over at your parents house, he was always a very good host. Very friendly. He liked to smile and laugh a lot. He was the guy that would mail in his $1 winning lottery ticket to the state to get paid. He had a way of looking at things a bit differently, more from the humorous side than many of us. I enjoyed that. He also had a cold beer for you when you needed one. That was huge. Your dad was a very likeable, good man. He loved your mom and of course his kids. With the way he chose to live his life and his career, he made a very positive impact in the world. That's how I think of him.

I hope the family is getting along as well as expected. I am thinking of you, your brother and sister and of course your mom.

To all the Bartons and Scullys,
Please accept our most sincere condolences for the passing of Bill. We were shocked by Dave's call and quite saddened to hear the news. Bill was always my father figure, confessor and mentor and I will miss him more than words can say. Everything I learned about Pharmacy and patient care I learned from him. Honesty and integritry were his standards and I hope that I have lived up to those standards while working for him and thereafter. Please be comforted by the fact that he was well respected both inside and outside his profession. I owe what I am today to Bill and can only repay that by trying to teach others in our profession by the same standards that he taught me.
I'm sorry that we can't be there to see Bill off but it's not possible at this time.
Sincerely,
Bob Tekel

In 1990 Bill was leaning toward retirement, so Bob Tekel and I helped push him in that direction by sitting down one evening in Dorothy's immaculate living room and telling Bill that we each wanted to purchase one of his pharmacies. Very favorable offers by Bill to each us ensued and after handshakes and probably adult beverages the deal was made. To fill in some of the time gaps in his retirement Bill would stop by the stores and chat with us, giving and receiving the latest gossip in the pharmacy world.
Early one month Bill visited me at Barton's Center Pharmacy and after some of the usual small talk, he asked me if things were going OK and if we were doing good business. I replied that things were fine, and he then somewhat sheepishly asked if I had forgotten to send him that month's payment. I was quite sure I had sent the payment as usual, but a check of my books revealed I had not done so, and that was corrected immediately. This story only serves as another example of how Bill cared for people and wanted to be fair and patient.
Bruce Wherry

We are so sorry to miss the family gathering in honor of Uncle Bill. We are at Lake Tahoe as part of our vacation in the fifth wheel. I will forever remember when Uncle Bill would insist that I play the piano for him, any song would do. Ron learned to drink scotch from him - and toasted him tonight with some. Hugs to all of you as you transition together and remember fondly. Ron and Jan Ernst