Jimmy Dale Barton

Jimmy Dale Barton (Dad, Daddy, PaPa) 74, of Dalhart, passed away on August 26, 2023 in Skellytown.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM at First Baptist Church of Skellytown on Saturday, September 9, 2023 with Greg Canada officiating. Cremation and arrangements are under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors and Crematory.

Jimmy Dale Barton was born June 15, 1949, in Wheeler, Texas to Sylvia and Jack Barton. He was raised in and attended school in Mobeetie, Texas. Growing up, Jimmy played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track.  He graduated in 1967 as one of five seniors and was the Salutatorian of his class.  Jimmy was teased about the size of his class, but always proudly said “my scholarships paid for my college education.” His freshman year of college he attended Hardin Simmons in Abilene, Texas, and transferred his sophomore year to Canyon to attend West Texas University.

In 1969, Jimmy met the love of his life, Gaye Allen, the night of her graduation from White Deer High School. After spending a year at Weatherford University, upon her arrival home from college, Jimmy began courting Gaye and they were married on November 21, 1970, at First Baptist Church Skellytown. After their marriage, they began a life in Pampa, Texas for a short period of time where Jimmy began his 19-year career in the oilfield with AMF Tuboscope. Jimmy and Gaye were then transferred to Odessa, Texas where he became the youngest field superintendent, youngest salesman and youngest division manager in the history of the company at that time. After living in Odessa for a year, Jimmy and Gaye moved to Hobbs, New Mexico where they welcomed their first daughter, Jennifer, in 1973. In 1977, Jimmy and Gaye then moved to Bloomfield, New Mexico where they then welcomed their second daughter, Lindsay. Jimmy and Gaye would remain in Bloomfield for 12 years. Jimmy taught a weekly bible study in his home for 12 years, touching countless young lives, many of whom he remained in contact with up until this time of his passing. Jimmy and Gaye then moved to Dalhart, Texas in 1989 where he worked alongside Kelly Fuller at Fuller’s Jewelry. In 1990, the store was re-named “Barton’s Jewelry,” where he created many beautiful, customized pieces for residents of Dalhart and surrounding areas. Jimmy also served as a unit building chaplain at the Dalhart Unit and preached there for many years.

During his employment with AMF Tuboscope in the Four Corners area, Jimmy developed a deep love and admiration for fishing and was a proud member of the local Bassmaster’s Club, spending many days fishing the San Juan River, Navajo Lake, and surrounding areas of water. He looked forward to the salmon snagging season every year and developed a love and appreciation within his daughters for the sport of fishing. Any time he had free time outside of work, Jimmy enjoyed taking his family and friends to Navajo Lake to ski and spend time in the water.  He was instrumental in teaching many young adults, as well as family members, how to ski although he himself was not a very good skier and didn’t know how to swim.  Jimmy also enjoyed spending time in his woodworking shop, building many pieces of furniture.  His proudest creation was the 15-foot-tall fort he built for his girls, surrounded by a 40 x 20 sandbox with sand he hauled from the Lukachukai Mountains in Arizona.  Many weekends, Jimmy could be found grill-side, cooking steaks with his special secret seasoning on a grill he built and welded himself.  Jimmy loved cutting up and enjoyed making people laugh.  He also loved country and western music, an avid fan of old country, listening to Willie Nelson, Ronnie Milsap, The Oak Ridge Boys, and the Gaither’s.  Many summers he served as a tour guide to various family members taking them to Durango, Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park, the San Juan Mountains, and many other places he discovered while on the job throughout the Four Corners area.

Jimmy’s faith in God was the most important thing to him.  He gave his life to the Lord in their home in Pampa, Texas after supper one night being led by his father-in-law, Leroy Allen. Jimmy loved Gaye with all his heart and was committed to her for 53 years during all the times they traveled through life, good and bad.  His girls, Jennifer and Lindsay, were so important to him, and he played an active role throughout their lives and into their adulthood.  He was a soccer dad, baseball dad, an amazing Kit Kat drill team dad, but most importantly he made sure his girls were in church learning about the Jesus he cared for and loved so strongly.  Jimmy worked hard to make sure his wife and children were taken care of, provided for, and always safe. 

Jimmy’s grandchildren were his pride and joy, and he proudly donned the name PaPa. The sound of their footsteps through the front door and saying “PaPa” filled his heart with joy.  Sleepovers at NaNa and PaPa’s house were always an adventure filled with laughter, tomfoolery, and snacks.  Attending all of their sporting events kept his calendar full! He was always bragging that he had the most handsome, beautiful, talented grandchildren in the world.  He had a never-ending playbook of stories to share with them, always interjecting a note of wisdom, and he was always ready to go on a penny hunt with them.

In Jimmy’s last years he always had a pocket full of “suck-ems” heavy on Werther’s and butterscotch discs. 

While in the last 10 years of his life, many will remember Jimmy wearing t-shirts, athletic shorts and sweats, his wife and girls will always remember him as a tall, handsome, skinny cowboy who wore pearl snap western shirts, dress cowboy jeans, and custom-made boots, always created and designed by his late best friend, Wayne Stribling. 

Jimmy is preceded in death by his parents, Sylvia and Jack Barton; father-in-law, Leroy Allen; sisters, Sue Edwards and Sara Mason; nephews, Chris Edwards, Clay Edwards, Brant McCullough, and Jacob Guinn; brother-in-law, David Guinn; grandsons, Javen and Kanen Barton; and mother-in-law, Jean Allen.

Jimmy is survived by his wife, Gaye Barton of Dalhart, Texas; daughters, Jennifer King of Dalhart, Texas and Lindsay Barton of Skellytown, Texas; five grandchildren, Brant King and wife Creighton of Amarillo, Texas, Sydney King and partner Rylie Forbes of Norman, Oklahoma, Mikah Barton and partner Cameron Davis of Austin, Texas, Gracie King of Lewisville, Texas, Bryson Thibodeaux of Skellytown, Texas; great-granddaughter, Brixtynn King of Amarillo, Texas and another great-grand baby due in March of 2024; two brothers, Jackie Barton and wife Brenda of Alexandria, Louisianna, Rickie Barton and wife Berniece of Cedar Park, Texas; two sisters, Shelia Mundel and husband Paul of Oakdale, Louisianna, Suzi Cue and husband Rick of Alburquerque, New Mexico; brother-in-law, Kenneth Mason of Bernalillo, New Mexico; two sisters-in-law, Debbie Guinn of Austin, Texas and Renee’ McCullough and husband Frank of Pampa, Texas; and a host of loving nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider donations to: Dalhart Prison Ministry, PO Box 44, Dalhart, Texas 79022, Hill of HIS Grace Orphanage-Haiti, 905 S. Fillmore St., Suite 700, Amarillo, Texas 79101, or Missing Pieces (Autism Awareness), PO Box 265, Skellytown, Texas 79080.