Shane Langford Barton

      “Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Shane Langford Barton, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

      Shane was born on January 22, 1953 at Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Campbellton, New Brunswick. He was the son of Langford and Muriel Barton. Raised in Richardsville, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

      As a young boy, Shane was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Shane was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Shane was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Shane also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Shane was raised with two wonderful sisters, Brenda and Barbie. Shane was constantly involved in activities with his family. Shane and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

      Growing up, Shane was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. He was content to entertain himself. Shane was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, he was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything he did as a child, Shane was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around him. Shane took part in a number of activities as a child. He took part in hockey and any outdoors activities. He was a Patrol Boy at school where he and his best friend Mark thought they were the coolest with their white patrol belts! In his spare time he liked to play ball and read. He loved collecting Hardy Boys books and comics such as, Fantastic Four, Spiderman and Hulk.

      Shane enjoyed learning. He always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Shane was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. He often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Shane was painstaking and accurate in his efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. He graduated from Polyvalente Restigouche Senior High School in 1971. Shane enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. The teachers he enjoyed learning from the most was Miss Carlson and Mr Lepage.

      Most folks would say that Shane was shy until they got to know him. Those who were privileged to know him well learned that he was a solid, good friend. Shane was reluctant to generalize about people, and he based his friendships on his personal experiences. Because of this, Shane best trusted those people that he truly knew. He was concerned about how those around him felt, and he always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. He could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that he made, Shane kept. While growing up, some of his best friends were Mark Parker, Jackie Targett, Wayne and Michael Matheson. Later in life, besides his high school sweetheart and wife Monique, he became best friends with Mark and Marlene Parker. He also loved to hang around with his hockey buddies, Ken and Donnie. He would join them for coffee and listened to their daily life's events. Another buddy, Glenn, was always there to enjoy music with him. Terry also played a significant role in his life. He also had a very close group of friends where he and Monique enjoyed many, many memorable social events.

      Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Shane. On August 18th, 1973 Shane married the love of his life, Monique Essiambre at Mary Queen Church of Richardsville. He was totally committed to Monique and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Shane naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Shane disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

      Shane was a good father to his children. He had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, Shane was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, Shane was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Shane was blessed with two wonderful sons whom he was so proud off, Chad and Brock. They were also blessed with one adorable grandaughter, Grace and three awesome grandsons, Joe, Benjamin and Clark.

      If you gave Shane a deadline, he would meet it. At work, Shane was always on task. Without hesitation, Shane could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was a papermaker. He was employed for his lifetime at Bowater Pulp and Paper Mill in Dalhousie. During that time, Shane excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Shane was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Shane had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

      Shane liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Shane's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Shane preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were first and foremost to follow Chad and Brock's hockey accomplishments as children, teenagers and young adults. He also loved music, films, reading and especially loved dog sitting! The last nine years of his life, he was very proud to be the best Papi ever to his four adorable grandchildren! Shane was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying his hobbies all by himself and could often be found just reading about his favorite pastimes.

      While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Shane often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. In high school, Shane played hockey and he especially loved to play with a very special team called The Super Bees. He also loved it because his then girlfriend, Monique, could be his best cheerleader! Recreational sports included walking, bowling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, baseball and hockey. He also enjoyed woodworking when he had the time. Some Christmas tree decorations made by him will be now cherished! He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list was traveling to all parts of Canada and USA to watch Chad and Brock play hockey. He liked hockey and baseball on television . He thoroughly loved the many trips he made as dad and sons where they visited many ball stadiums and hockey arenas!

      Due to his excellent organizational skills, Shane was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which he belonged. Shane could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Shane was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details.

      Shane was active in the community. He was practical and grounded and based his decisions on first hand experience. He was responsible and liked working to achieve results rather than just chattering about possibilities. Shane was a member of several community groups, serving on committees for the Lions Club, YMCA and Last Chance Hockey Team.

      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Shane was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Shane was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Shane Barton was very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with Shane. He will be missed.

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Passed away on April 20th, 2016 at the age of 63, Mr. Shane Langford Arnold Barton. Born in Campbellton on January 22, 1953, son of the late Muriel (Thompson) Barton and the late Langford Barton.

Although he worked at Bowater Mill in Dalhousie from his teenage years until its closing, Shane loved nothing more than spending time with his beloved family. He was an avid music lover and he adored every dog he ever met. He was a lifelong lover of sports, and played hockey his entire life, most recently with the Last Chance hockey team. In his retirement, he served in the Lions Club with loyalty and distinction, volunteering for many committees and leading the annual Lions Dog Guides Walk. He and Monique enjoyed spending many evenings with family and friends, including chatting around many campfires. Blessed with two sons, who he was both proud of and cherished, he and Monique travelled often to spend time with them and their families. He was an adoring and supportive father and the very best Papi in the world. Each of his grandchildren had a special place in his heart and they will miss him dearly. He will also be missed by his favorite grand-dog, Baxter.

He is survived by his loving wife Monique (Essiambre) of McLeods; his sons, Chad Barton (Sarah) of Calgary, AB and Brock (Stacy) of Vermont, USA; his sisters, Brenda Oakes (Gary) of Rothesay and Barbie Harding (Evan) of Dalhousie. Also surviving are four adoring grandchildren, Grace, Joe, Benjamin and Clark, and many nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at the First United Church on Aberdeen Street in Campbellton, N.B. on Tuesday, April 26th at 2:00 pm. Prior to the service, there will be visitation beginning at 1:00 at the Church.

Donations to the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides (http://www.dogguides.com/) are always appreciated.

Funeral arrangements are in the care of Maher's Funeral Home, Campbellton.

(506)789-1699 or toll free (855) 404-1699 email: [email protected]