Wyatt Lee Barton

Wyatt Lee Barton, age 18, of Amarillo, Texas was taken to be with the Lord far too soon on Monday, October 6, 2025. He had a courageous four-year battle with epilepsy and succumbed to SUDEP - sudden unexpected death in epilepsy patients. He leaves behind a devastated family and group of friends, classmates, and coworkers.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Hillside Christian Church West Campus in Amarillo with Senior Pastor Johnathan Mast presiding, Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors.

Wyatt was a true military brat who was born on November 17, 2006 at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune’s Naval Hospital in North Carolina less than 12 hours after his parents departed a formal USMC birthday celebration. In his first five years of life, Wyatt’s father was deployed to many war deployments. It was during this time that Wyatt and his older brother Cameron formed a very close bond. Wyatt loved hanging out with his brother and his friends and vice versa despite their seven-year age difference. He began kindergarten in Richlands, NC just before his father returned home from war for the last time, ultimately retiring with 23 years of service, and relocating the family to Amarillo to continue his work with Bell Helicopter and the federal government in Wyatt’s mother’s home state where she began a career in teaching.

Wyatt thrived in Canyon ISD schools and enjoyed playing travel baseball and later football where he suffered his first seizure during freshman year on his way to the field at Randall High School. Wyatt was a recent 2025 graduate of West Plains High School, where he attended for three years and finished strong with A averages and excellent attendance despite having had his most difficult year of seizures during his senior year.

Wyatt’s hobbies included playing video games, listening to music, hanging out with friends, admiring and photographing fast cars, fixing friends’ vehicles, building his own gaming computer, fishing, hunting, target practice, learning to weld, and making people laugh. He especially enjoyed traveling and snorkeling the waters of Florida, several islands of the Caribbean, and two islands of Hawaii where he was thrilled to see Kilauea, Mauna Kea, Diamond Head, and Pearl Harbor. However, his all-time favorite place to visit was St. John in the US Virgin Islands.

Upon high school graduation, Wyatt began attending classes at Amarillo College’s heavy equipment and diesel technology mechanic program and also recently sought a diesel mechanic apprenticeship with Lowe Diesel Services. He was excited about his future and was happy to resume driving after a long break. Wyatt’s previous employers include Take 5 Car Wash, Teddy Jack’s Grill, and Bahama Buck’s.

Wyatt is survived by a loving family: parents Master Sergeant (retired) Michael Barton and wife Tiffany (Bigelow) of Amarillo, TX; brother Cameron Barton and wife Taylor (Hamilton) of Allen, TX; grandfather John Bigelow of Allen, TX; grandmother Janis (Jacobs) Wimett and husband Tom of Van Alstyne, TX; aunt Kimberly Bigelow of Allen, TX; grandfather Gerald Barton of Raynham, MA; grandmother Susanne (Hamer) Lane of Winterhaven, FL; Uncle Kevin Barton and wife Melissa (Fontaine) of Westport, MA; and uncle Jamie Barton of Westport, MA along with many other special great aunts, great uncles, cousins, and close family friends and neighbors. Wyatt was preceded in death by his step-grandparents Milton Bardwell and wife Jorene (McKnight) of Whitesboro, TX and James Lane of Winterhaven, FL.

The family wishes to express appreciation for the many friends and coworkers who helped provide transportation when Wyatt's seizures prevented him from driving. A few of these friends, coworkers, coaches, neighbors, as well as his parents also provided lifesaving seizure first aid. The family is also very grateful for the compassionate care received from Dr. Dave Shahani of Fort Worth Cook Children’s Pediatric Neurology Clinic. The family wishes for everyone to familiarize themselves with seizure first aid, because you never know when an opportunity may present itself for saving a life!

For those wishing to express sympathy, please consider doing so via tax deductible donation to either The Wyatt Barton Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund administered with the assistance of Opportunity Plan of Canyon, TX or The Epilepsy Foundation. Thank you for helping us turn our pain into purpose and spread awareness about Epilepsy and SUDEP.

Websites:

https://www.opportunityplan.com/donate/

https://give.epilepsy.com/page/33651/donate/1