Anita Barton

BARTON, Anita

Anita Sheldon Barton, 86, of Marietta, passed away peacefully at home on July 6, 2024.

Anita was born November 2, 1937, in Greenville, South Carolina to the late Edith Lowery Sheldon and Dawson Clement Sheldon. She loved growing up in Clemson with a close-knit group of friends, cousins, aunts, and uncles. She cherished the time she had with her father, a gentle math professor with a warm heart and dry sense of humor.

After graduation from Clemson-Calhoun High School in 1955, Anita studied French at Agnes Scott College. There, she met dear, lifelong friends and her future husband, Georgia Tech student, Robert Paul "Bobby" Barton. Upon graduation in 1959, Anita continued her study of French at Emory University. She acted as a Teacher's Assistant at Emory and taught French at Druid Hills High School.

In 1960, Anita married Bobby in Clemson. Shortly thereafter, the couple relocated to Marietta, where they made lifelong friends and raised their daughters, Anne and Ginny.

Not one to stay at home, Anita loved spending time with friends and volunteering. She was an enthusiastic member of the Marietta-Cobb Junior League and served as its President in 1973-74. As a League volunteer in the early 1970s, Anita helped establish a new children's museum, now The Youth Museum. As a volunteer, she loved acting as a docent and developing interactive exhibits which gave young students hands-on opportunities to explore various aspects of Social Studies and History. She cared deeply about the success of the museum, the children who visited, and her fellow volunteers and staff members. In the 1980s, Anita became the Executive Director of Youth Museum, where she oversaw the development of exhibits, puppet shows, and coordinated an amazing group of staff members and volunteers who became some of her best friends. She spent many happy years working at the Youth Museum until her retirement in 2016.

Anita always enjoyed the opportunity to practice her language skills. She once offered translation services to some French nationals who'd landed themselves in the Cobb County jail while in town to do business with Lockheed.

She held dear her bridge and birthday clubs, and the friendships that sustained her through joyful celebrations, tough times, and all the days in between. She adored her grandchildren, near and far.

We will remember her love for the state of South Carolina, talking with friends over a delicious meal or a haircut, giving advice, Georgia Tech basketball (always "a growth year"), Clemson football, See's Chocolate, cherries, fresh vegetables from a roadside stand, her big, golden SUVs, extra sauce, winning high at bridge, winning at Scrabble, winning at anything, crossword puzzles, Wordle, The Merck Manual, magazines, being right, generously helping friends during hard times, the deer in her yard, and living next to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.

She is survived by her daughters, Anne Barton White (George) of Wyoming, Ohio, and Virginia "Ginny" Barton (Lisa) of Atlanta; her grandchildren, Sam White, Joe White, Anna Barton-Caucci, and Joseph Barton-Caucci; and many loving friends. Anita was preceded in death by her husband of thirty-nine years, Robert Barton.

Anita's family would like to thank Pamela Combs, who cared for Anita with love and determination for almost two years. We're also grateful for the loving care provided by Ashleigh Strickland, Dorrie Vasser, and Kim Dyson, each of whom brought unique gifts to the job. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to The Youth Museum, 649 Cheatham Hill Road, Marietta, GA 30064 or Doctor's Without Borders https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org.

The family plans to celebrate Anita's life with a gathering of family and friends later this month.