Carl Frederick Barth Jr.

Carl Fredrick Barth Jr.
July 8, 1923 – September 2, 2024
Carl Barth, age 101, of Tampa, Florida, passed away Monday, September 2 at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa. He was blessed to have lived a life in service to God, his family and his country. He was born in German Towne, Louisville, Kentucky to Carl Fredrick Barth, Sr. and Margaret Yent Barth. His family including his brother William (Bill) Barth and sister Joyce Barth Stanfield, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all lived within just a few blocks in their close-knit community. He moved his family to Tampa, Florida in 1957 and has lived with his wife, Gladys, in that house since.
He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Gladys Clark Barth, his sons Carl Wrandle of Glen Dale, MD (Cathy), David Alan of Seminole, FL (Karen), Steven Ray of Tampa, FL, and John Eric of Lutz, FL (Kim), grandchildren Erika Simunovic (Kenny), Cody Barth, and Heather Klug (Kaleb), and 3 great-grandchildren Greyson Simunovic, Charlie Klug and Clementine Klug.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations in Carl's name to Florida College, Tunnels 2 Towers, The Wounded Warrior Project, or the charity of your choice.
Life Story;
The Bread of Life: a Recipe for a Life of Service to God, Family and Country that
Includes Many Rich Ingredients
For Carl Barth, working in the galley of a US Navy warship in World War II inspired a
lifetime passion for baking all sorts of breads and pies – and an even deeper desire to
share the baked goods and the stories behind them with the world. Years later when
macular degeneration took away Carl's ability to see with clarity, his wife, Gladys,
became his eyes and he was blessed with a heightened sense of smell and touch. All
the better to know instinctively when the yeast had risen or the bread perfectly baked.
But the true gems in his baking are the stories and experiences that made the recipes
that much richer. Over the years Carl has rejoiced in using a host of different flours and
experimented with fruits, and yes, even secret ingredients. With Gladys by his side, he
has produced many loaves of bread, sweet rolls and pies. With stewardship in their
hearts Carl and Gladys have shared the ingredients of his life in a communion of
faith and love – the bread of life.
The Recipe Ingredients
As a young man, Carl worked beside his father, many times. And they built a
homemade telescope together which was the beginning of his desire to design and
build things all his life.
Carl graduated high school in 1941 and soon enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in
1942, attending Signal School in Chicago where he noted that he never saw the ground
due to snow. For the duration of World War II, he served as a Signalman aboard the
Destroyer Escort, USS Atherton DE-169 until it was decommissioned in 1946. He was
called to active duty in the US Naval Reserve in September 1949, Korean Conflict,
serving on the USS Capricornus AKA 57 on a good will tour in the Mediterranean. While
serving he taught a French officer on board to fence and later was invited to visit Cercle
d'Escrime de Cannes, (Academy of Fencing of Cannes) where he was given an
honorary membership, the first ever given to an American sailor.
Adding a Pinch of Love
Upon his discharge from service Carl returned to Louisville, KY and began a career as a
Sign Design Engineer with Federal Sign & Signal Corporation in Cincinnati, Ohio. He
met his wife of 72 years, Gladys L Clark on a blind date in Louisville KY. It was love at
first sight and they dated long distance, marrying July 5, 1952. They often teased how
they celebrated Independence Day then married the next day. The family moved to
Tampa Florida in 1957 where they still live in the home they established in South
Tampa.
Mixing in a Career
As far as Carl's occupation he trained as an apprentice in Louisville, KY with the
Federal Sign and Signal Corp. Carl served 9 years in the US Naval Reserve during
WWII and during the Korean Conflict. He continued to educate himself while he was on
the ship and after his discharge from the US Naval Reserve in Jan. 1952, he returned to
his occupation in Louisville, KY at Federal Sign and Signal Co. as their designer. The
company had just hired a new man for that position, so Carl accepted their offer to
transfer to Cincinnati, OH to take the position there.
It was late 1953 in Cincinnati that Carl was baptized into Christ and remained a faithful
Christian for 71 years. It was there when he painted one of his first paintings of note for
the church that was 8 ft x 10 ft behind the baptistry of a river flowing down into the
baptistry. Five years later in June of 1957 Carl and Gladys moved to Florida. Carl first
worked with Buzzard Sign Co. Then he and a couple of friends started their own
company called Gulf Coast Signing Co.
After several years that company closed and was out of a job for several months, where
he did some freelance work for Nathan Grout. He took any odd job until he found an
opening in his field. He was able to get a job as a design engineer with Heath Sign
Company, which was later bought out by Federal Sign and Signal Co. He enjoyed the
career in sign design engineering, designing many signs that mark shopping plazas,
hotels, restaurants, bowling lanes, bus terminals, car dealerships, and businesses in the
Tampa Bay Area. After he had retired, he was called back because of his expertise in
mid-century neon signs and chasing lights, to consult on many unique projects for MGM
and Universal Studios.
Add a Pinch of Salt Life
Carl embraced the Florida life by building a small sailboat for his sons. After they
outgrew it, he used it one Christmas when he put it on the roof with Santa to convey an
idea that Santa's trip to Florida would be different than around the world.
Season with Spices
Around 1963, Carl devoted his time to master his painting skills. In order to get himself
noticed, he donated many of his early works to WEDU for fund raising auctions. He also
donated some of his paintings to HCC. He was commissioned to paint some paintings
for ABC Pizza. Recently, the Tampa Bay History Center has accepted one of his
paintings which was called "Progress" which was painted in 1973 and was a time
capsule of icons of Tampa that no longer existed shortly after 1974. The painting hung
in his wife's office from 1974-1990 when she retired from First Florida Banks. He
continued his love of creating from his mind's eye and created over 300 paintings. His
paintings ranged from landscapes, realistic, abstracts that included geometric shapes,
acrylic pours, multiple perspectives and on occasions commission works for restaurant
and business owners.
Faith in the Results of the Ingredients
In the early 1980s Carl published monthly newsletters for the Henderson Boulevard
Church of Christ, teaching scripture to young and old. He created them on a (get this)
Commodore 64. Dad's been a computer 'geek' for quite some time. But this isn't the
only way he taught Bible classes for many years. He is known for his knowledge of
scripture and often was called upon in teaching classes at Henderson Boulevard
Church of Christ.
The Many Flavors of Frosting
Carl learned that famous fencing master Julio M. Castello had retired to Tampa.
Papa Castello instructed Carl for four years and certified him as a Fencing
Instructor. He coached students at the USF Fencing Club; a few of whom
continued on to compete internationally, as well as his sons and the kids at
Interbay Boy's Club.
Carl also passed along his love of the seas to include teaching boys to build and
sail small boats called prams. He carried it further, teaching his sons to sail on
prams and larger boats over the years.
He loved to watch things grow and designed and built his Geodome greenhouse
in the back yard where he grew many orchids native to Florida and beautiful
hybrid orchids from well-known growers. He shared this love through many
aspects of community service such as assisting other orchid growers in the care,
(separating, plotting, and nursing their orchids). He worked with many
organizations like small business nurseries and botanical gardens.
The Delight of a Wonderful Recipe
Many love to share their favorite recipe and Carl was no exception. He had some
wonderful stories to tell, many that yielded a life lesson. You do not live to be 101 years
old during the age of the "Greatest Generation" without learning a thing or two and
Carl's love of God, Family, and Country can be seen throughout his Bread of Life.