Iva Lea Barton

Iva Lea McKay Worley Barton fell asleep in the Lord on 3 May 2016. She was born to Oscar and Garah Miles McKay on Easter, 1 April 1923 in Byers, Texas. She was born again, from above, at Wilson Church of Christ in the West Texas plains in her teens.

Iva Lea grew up on a farm near Lamesa, Texas and boarded in town for High School. She graduated with a Home Economics degree at Texas Tech and taught High School briefly. She married another Texas Tech graduate in 1947, David Worley, who had a daughter Janet by a previous marriage. David Sr became a leader in the radio business in the Southwest until his death in 1964. Their son, David Worley Jr, was born in 1949 in Lubbock. Iva Lea welcomed a beloved daughter in law, Melinda Ann Slone in 1971.

In 1973, Iva Lea married Fred Barton, former Dean of the graduate school of Abilene Christian University. Her family expanded with a son, Brock Barton and a daughter, Gay Barton (and spouses). Together, Iva Lea and Fred were committed to the family of Meadowbrook and Bridgewood Church of Christ in Ft Worth... and to their grandchildren, David and Eleanor Hancock, Sara and Karen Barton, and Heatherly, Christiana and Elena Worley (and spouses) ... and to twelve great grandchildren, the last of whom became her name sake, Ivalea Hancock.

Iva Lea was the youngest of four children, Opal, LaVerne and Raymond, all of whom preceded her in death. She was very close to her parents and siblings. She was also very close to her siblings in Christ in the congregations in Ft Worth. She sought to encourage so many with carefully crafted written notes. She was gracious and hospitable, opening her home to many, with wonderful meals. She was generous in encouraging Christian education at ACU, Brentwood Christian School, Austin Graduate School of Theology and abroad, in St Petersburg Russia (CRCRussia.com) and in South Africa ... as well as sponsoring research in child development at her alma mater, Texas Tech. With an eye to color and design, Iva Lea enjoyed flower arranging (and as a master flower show judge). She enjoyed home design and, with an eye to detail, enjoyed ownership of radio stations KOKE in Austin, Texas and KLEA in Lovington, New Mexico as well as the gospel proclaimed through short wave radio abroad (World Christian Broadcasting).

Buried in Lubbock Texas, Iva Lea awaits the coming of the Lord Jesus and the resurrection of the body ... awaiting the inheritance of the saints in light, the new heavens and the new earth, to the glory of God the Father.