Rev. Dr. Willie Thomas Barton

Reverend Dr. Willie Thomas Barton, a native of Liberty, North Carolina born June 11^th, 1935, departed quietly on Wednesday April 24^th, 2024 at the Hospice Home of Burlington. 

Upon completion of high school, in August 1954, Dr. Willie Thomas Barton received Christ’s divine calling, the greatest blessing of his life when he accepted the love of Jesus Christ at Star of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church in San Diego, California. As serving as a member on the Board of Deacons, he went on to preach his initial sermon. In 1976, he became Assistant Pastor of Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in San Diego, California. Reverend Barton’s chaplain ministries continued including education from Elon College and Alamance Community College, where he received his Associate Degree in Business following a Bachelor of Theology from United Bible Institute in 1989. Reverend Barton later pursued his Master’s Degree and Doctrine of Theology from Christian Bible College where he later united with Edwards Grove Missionary Baptist Church as the Assistant Pastor under the leadership of Reverend Dr. M.P. McCleve in Liberty, North Carolina. 

Throughout the period of his military enlistment as US Chief Petty Naval Officer, Chief Barton was awarded the President’s United Citation Medal, National Defense Medal with Bronze Star, and six Good Conduct Awards, including a Vietnam Medal with two Silver Stars. Reverend Barton served as the Assistant to the Chaplin for three years Navy duty. Finally, retirement and an honorable discharge serving 30 years of service for his country in 1978. Reverend Barton also enjoyed a successful business career working for AT&T and General Dynamics Corporation. 

Once more, June 1980, Reverend Barton received the call to pastor Taylor’s Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Sanford, North Carolina for eight years. From this union, community programs began, such as a church Food Bank connected with Social Services, and community resource services for pregnant teen mothers. Taylor’s Chapel grew financially as well as spiritually where a new sanctuary was completed at the cost of two hundred fifty thousand dollars. After receiving the call again in May of 1988, Reverend Barton moved on to become the pastor of Beaver’s Chapel United Church of Christ. Zebulon, North Carolina. In June of 1991, Reverend Barton accepted the calling to pastor Holly Spring’s United Church of Christ. In July 1999, Reverend Barton left Holly Spring’s United Church of Christ after 11 years of service. In 2001, Reverend Barton accepted his calling to pastor Lewis Grove Holiness Church in Liberty, North Carolina, where he remained Pastor for nearly ten years until retiring in 2009. Since 2009, Reverend Dr. Barton continued to preach God’s word and served as an Associate Minister of the Bethsada Baptist Church in Mebane, North Carolina. 

He was preceded in death by his parents Father, Willie (Vernell) Barton and Mother, Lillie Mae Barton; a Brother Walter Barton; a stepdaughter Lillian (Cookie) Anderson; a most cherished friend Reverend Terry B. Jones; and faithful sister and brother in-law Jeannie and Rudy Crisp. Also Reverend Barton’s one treasured niece, Ms. Judy Coltrane and daughter Tori; and a sister-in-law Carol Fleming. 

Reverend Barton leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, Cathy; two sons, Wayne Barton (Angie) of Chula Vista, California and Lance Barton of Jacksonville, North Carolina; a granddaughter, Rachel Barton of Philadelphia, PA; loved nephews, Michael Harvey and Creighton Ford; niece, Yvette Ford; stepson, Jerome McConnell of Winston-Salem, NC; a stepdaughter, Jillian McConnell of Clover, SC; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Daisy Barton; three nephews, Walter Barton Jr., and Arnold Barton (Claretta) both of Burlington, NC and Joseph Barton of Liberty, NC; with a host of great nieces, nephews, cousins, as well as his much-loved Bethsada Baptist Church Family.