Sam Barton's Obituary
Samuel Eugene Barton (Sam, Sammie), age 71, from Tulsa, Ok., passed from this earth to be with our Father in Heaven on Sunday, July 28, 2024. He suffered only a short time having had a Pancreatic Cancer diagnosis only 2 weeks prior. Sam was born June 26, 1953, in Tulsa, Ok. to parents Charles Eugene Barton and Mona Lee Carroll Barton. In the top 5 of his class, Sam received his associate’s degree in Aeronautics with an A&P license from Spartan School of Aeronautics after graduating from Will Rogers High School in 1971. He also received his flight instructor’s certificate and enjoyed this part of his flight career. At one time, he and his father owned two Cessna 172 airplanes together. This co-ownership provided a bond as they worked side by side on maintaining the planes. Sam would tell stories of skipping school to enjoy flight adventures in his plane. He was a member of the Skyways Flying Club.
While in high school, Sam also enjoyed being on the school newspaper team and played trumpet in the marching and stage bands. He also became proficient on the piano. Sam was a member of the American Airlines Explorer Troup. He was part of a team that rebuilt a Piper Cub airplane. Loving photography as his Dad was a professional photographer, Sam was on the yearbook staff as a photographer and a sports photographer for the school paper, “The Hoofprints.” He was in Junior Achievement, successfully running a business of his own.
At age 17, Sam began working for his family’s commercial construction company, Barton Construction Co., Inc., He later had his own subsidiary company, Samco Construction. Samco eventually closed, and later, Sam became owner of Barton Construction, Inc. upon his father’s retirement. After being in business for over 50 years, Barton Construction Co., Inc. closed in 2016. Among many of the company’s projects were Immanuel Lutheran Church, now Chapel on the Hill Event Center (cornucopia-looking building in Broken Arrow), Whitman Air Force Base in Missouri, Tulsa Otasco Stores, Tulsa Civic Center Steps, Tulsa Zoo Sea Lion Experience and Southwestern and other NALM Buildings, Sinclair Refinery, Tulsa County Fairgrounds, American Airlines, Spirit Aeronautics (Boeing), Steel Pipe Supply Machine Foundation, Nonni’s Cookies, Oklahoma Style Bar-B-Que, Carnegie Elementary School classroom addition, Oral Roberts University GC fountain and Walkway between the cafeteria and dorms, Tulsa Public Schools Bus Barn, Jenks Public Schools, Union Softball Field Paving and Concession Stand, Bixby Public Schools, Broken Arrow Parkr Gazebo, Lacy Park Pool, Southern Hills Pools, Page Belcher Golf Club, Cityplex Towers, Nordham, Zeeco, Baker Hughes, The University of Tulsa Fire Alarm Building, and too many more to mention.
For several years, Sam served on the Tulsa City Council Ways and Means Committee and was a member of Tulsa First Methodist Church. Sam was a loving and devoted father to his children, Seth, Kara, and Jared. They relish the memories of how he spent time with them in water skiing (Sam was an excellent skier), team sports, camping, pool parties, flying with him, Boy Scouts with the boys, and recently helping Kara maintain her house and lawn. He taught all 3 how to change the oil in their cars as he insisted they learn.
Sam married Lorelei Kaiser 41 years ago on January 15, 1983, at The University of Tulsa’s Sharp Chapel. Their first date was in one of Sam’s planes, flying over Tulsa at night. They honeymooned for two weeks in Texas, using the plane as transportation to and from. They built their gardens and yard and often worked on home projects together.
Sam was a man of extraordinary ethics and highly intelligent, knowing “all things” aeronautics, mechanics, and construction. His construction experience and expertise were highly valued by many job owners and construction partners. Sam, like Will Rogers, “Never met a man he didn’t like.” He was a kind and gentle soul, even-tempered, and a devout Christian man for most of his life. He gave his grandfather, Sam Barton, whom he spent many hours with, credit for this. He witnessed God’s love to those in need with an uncanny depth of knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures. While in his 20’s Sam served as a youth minister at East Tulsa Church of God of Anderson for many years.
Sam is preceded in death by his parents Charles Eugene Barton and Mona Lee Carroll Barton of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is survived by his wife Lorelei Kaiser Barton of Tulsa, son and daughter-in-law Seth and wife Patricia Barton and granddaughters Danielle Poppy and Natalie Sunny of Tulsa, daughter Kara Jade Barton of Tulsa, son Jared Lane Barton and partner Josh Wiedel of Albuquerque, New Mexico, sister and husband Linda Joy Barton and Art Paul and sons, Donald Lawrence and Kenneth Lawrence, sister Carol Slocum and son Josh Slocum, daughters Lori Coatney and Jessie Williams, sister Jann Lucus and daughter Emma Lee Lucus and many other nieces, nephews and cousins.
Sam had family and many friends and acquaintances who will all agree that he will be sorely missed. His death will leave a gap in their spirits. He is healed, praise God!
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
2 Corinthians 5:1
A viewing will be held at Floral Haven Funeral Home, 6500 S. 129th E. Ave. in Broken Arrow, Friday, August 2, 5-7 pm. Sam’s Celebration of Life service will be held at First Methodist Church,1115 S. Boulder Ave., Saturday, August 3, 2:30 (2:15 Video and Prelude).
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