Joe Bates Barkley Jr.

Joe Bates Barkley, Jr., 85, died Friday, January 26, 2018 at the Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando, Florida. He leaves his wife of 54 years, Marjorie Jane Glass Barkley; his daughter, Victoria J. Barkley, his daughter, Mary F. Barkley and fiance, A. Brian Phillips; his son, Joel E. Barkley and husband Joshua Amores; and three grandchildren. Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, the son of Joe B. Barkley and Frances Elizabeth Chastain. He spent most of his working life in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Mr. Barkley graduated from Fairfield High School, Fairfield, Alabama and won the Alabama Spelling Bee. He received a B.S.E. and a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University. He was a Second Lieutenant in the Army and served in the Army Reserves for ten years. He was employed at Humble Oil in Houston, Texas, U.S. Steel in Birmingham, Alabama, Dupont Industries in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and retired from TVA in Chattanooga, Tennessee, after working for TVA in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Paducah, Kentucky. Mr. Barkley was a member of Burks United Methodist Church in Hixson, Tennessee, where he taught adult Sunday school classes and served as an usher. He was an avid fireworks maker, and was a member of the Pyrotechnics Guild International, and enjoyed competing in contests at PGI conventions. He enjoyed orchestrating annual 4th of July fireworks shows at his mother’s farm in Winterboro, Alabama. Mr. Barkley also enjoyed making and flying rubber-band powered model airplanes and was a member of the Flying Aces Club, travelling to Pensacola, Florida for flying meets. Mr. Barkley was a loving father and enjoyed long walks at the park and was an enthusiastic recycler. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at John Ridout’s Elmwood Chapel, 800 Dennison, Avenue, South West, Birmingham, Alabama, 35211, with burial at Elmwood Cemetery. All are welcome to attend.