Warren "Al" Alford Barton

Al Barton

Central Valley, Utah

On Wednesday, May 1, 2019, Warren Alford "Al" Barton, passed away at age 80 in his home in Central Valley, Utah, from complications due to acute myeloid leukemia.

Al was born July 9, 1938 in Moab, Utah, the eighth child of Lloyd Lional and Willamelia Frost Barton. He was the first of their children to be born in a hospital. He grew up in Monticello, Utah, enjoying the love of a large family and a small, close-knit community. He always had someone to play with, good homemade food, and lots of fun on special occasions.

Al began his education in a small schoolhouse that housed all 12 grades in the same building. After graduation, he studied for two years at BYU before serving in the Argentina Buenos Aires Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He remembers in those days (1958), a young man had to be 20-years-old to serve. He pestered his bishop to send him early, but it did no good.

Two years after returning home, Al met and married Beverly Anne Haynie in the Logan Temple on January 31, 1963. He also continued his education at BYU and graduated in 1963. Initially, he was employed as a seminary teacher while he worked on a master’s degree in education administration, but later decided to attend University of Oregon Dental School in Portland, Oregon, graduating in 1972. In addition to a long career as a dentist, he continued his education and learned how to treat and relieve symptoms caused by temporomandibular joint dysfunction, blessing the lives of many suffering patients.

After retirement, Al and Anne served full-time together in the New Jersey Morristown Mission, teaching in Spanish and English. They also filled a service mission at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City. Al was always looking for ways to serve his family, fellow Church members, and neighbors wherever he found them. He was a hard worker, and wherever he lived he made his surroundings "blossom as the rose." He was also a wonderful teacher, especially of the restored gospel.

Al is survived by his wife Anne; their children David (Paula), Paul (Jeanne), James (Regina), Merrijane Rice (Jason), Amy Morris (Tim), Alisa Ellingson (Tegwyn); 27 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; and siblings Anne Mitchell, Helen Halls, April Lee, and Edson. He is preceded in death by his parents Lloyd and Willamelia; and siblings Lloyd, Silas, Nancy Bradford, Robert, Stanley, and Allen.

Funeral services will be held Friday, May 10, 2019 at 12:00 Noon in the Central Valley 2nd Ward, 65 N. Main, where friends may call for visitation from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Richfield City Cemetery. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com