Jean Barton

Jean Barton was born at home May 28, 1922 in Beaver, Utah, to Clyde and Hilda Bell Messinger. Jean had 3 older brothers, two of whom are still living. Both her parents were descended from Mormon pioneers who settled Beaver in the 1850s after crossing the plains. Jean’s family moved to Osdick, California in1926 where Jean’s dad worked assaying gold and silver ore. The family would hold LDS sacrament meeting in their home, Jean’s mother playing the piano and her dad conducting the meeting. The family moved back to Beaver in 1928 in time for Jean to start first grade. She met her future husband, John Barton, in the first grade. They went through all 12 grades together, but never dated. Jean lost her mother when she was 12 years old, and her dad later remarried and 2 half sisters were added to the family. Jean has said that during her teens and twenties, she often felt her mother watching out for her. Jean graduated from Beaver High School in 1940 and worked as a waitress until 1941. She had been offered a job in the Beaver post office, and was notified the position was open while she was in California visiting an aunt and uncle during Christmas vacation of 1941. She went back to Beaver and started the job, then realized her heart was still in California. She couldn’t see why people stayed in Beaver in the cold, when L.A. was so nice. Jean moved to Los Angeles and worked at Security First National Bank, only the second woman to work in the Transit department. They had always hired men, but at that time all the guys were going to the service. On really busy days, Jean could process 10,000 checks, the best record in the bank. Jean later worked for the Federal Government shipping parts for aircraft, then in payroll. In September 1942, Jean went back to Beaver, Utah for the Labor Day holiday. She saw John Barton, and he asked her out on their first date. They went out that evening, and then she had to return to Los Angeles. Johnny went into the Coast Guard in the fall of 1942, first to boot camp, then up to Half Moon Bay where he did horse patrol on the California coast, and then was sent to UCLA to take some engineering classes. They dated all of this time until he was sent to the South Pacific to serve on a communications ship in the late fall of 1943. Johnny came back from the service, and they hadn’t seen each other for two years. He came to California the last of September 1946, and John asked her to marry him (he had asked her to marry him before he went overseas, but she just couldn’t see herself married at that time). They were married October 5, 1946. A short time later, they moved to Cherry Creek, Nevada to become a partner in the family beef cattle ranching business. The little town of Cherry Creek had about 10 homes, each out on ranches or farms, a post office, bar, and small store. They lived 60 miles from Ely and would drive in every six weeks or so to purchase groceries. Jean worked extremely hard cooking, cleaning and doing laundry for the family and ranch hands. She would make six loaves of bread every other day. Usually one day a week, she would bake piecrust, cookies and dessert for the following week. Their first child, Ken was born in January 1949, one of the coldest winters on record. Karen was born in 1953, and the next spring they traded the ranches for a hotel in Los Angeles, California, the Stratford Hotel. Jean moved to California for the third time in her life. Jean was again busy doing her part to help out in the family business. She mended all the sheets, fixed curtains, and whatever she could to help with maintenance in the hotel. She wore out a sewing machine mending sheets. The men were eager to sell the hotel and get back to their roots cattle ranching. They traded the hotel for the Bar “S” Ranch in Hagerman, Idaho in April of 1962. It was a good move for the family. Jean worked in the local schools, where she was involved in helping with a new government program to set up individualized learning. Both Ken and Karen graduated from Hagerman High School and attended BYU. From there, John and Jean moved to Twin Falls Idaho, and later to Salt Lake City to be closer to their children. Jean continued to work in banks in both locations. They moved to St. George in 2001 to be closer to their roots in Beaver, and to enjoy the warm climate. Jean and John traveled extensively, visiting Europe, Canada, Japan, China, South Korea, Jamaica, the Panama Canal, the West Indies, the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, England, and much of the United States. Jean and John moved to Summerfield in November 2015. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in October of 2016. John passed away in December of 2016, and she misses him dearly. Jean’s pride and joy are her two children, their spouses, 8 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Jean is an expert seamstress and enjoys making ceramics, some of which she displays. She has always been an example of hard-work, dedication, and love to all that know her, but especially her family. She is survived by her two children Ken (Mary) Barton and Karen (Steve) Perkins; eight grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren; two brothers Fay Messinger & Walt Messinger and one sister Shirley Morris. She was preceded in death by her husband John Barton; one brother Arlo Messinger; one sister Marie Powell; Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 5, 2018 at the Beaver LDS Church 220 N. Main St. Beaver, Utah. A viewing will be held on hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will follow at the Beaver City Cemetery.

Jean Barton

May 28, 1922 - March 27, 2018