It is not ironic that the life cycle of a plant resembles so closely the cycle of life of Homer Lee Barton, the humble son of a farming family. The yielding spirit that was Homer Lee Barton was planted by the grace of God with Robert and Sadie (Elder) Barton and brought to harvest on November 14, 1938. He was named Homer Lee after Sadie’s Uncle Homer who raised her after her mother’s death. He was their eleventh child, and fourth son. Homer was a very active child. He said he remembered getting many “whippings” as a boy. Often because of the antics of he and his brother, Charles. His early years were spent working in the fields and doing carpentry work with his dad, going to school, and spending the majority of his time in church worshipping at the Griffin Chapel Church of God in Christ of Corsicana. The family would travel three deep in the family car to and from church. The trips started before dawn and ended way after dusk. As a child, he worked with his family tending to animals and crops. This cultivated his love for farming. He was a member of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) of the Park Colored School Goodlow/Kerens, Texas. He and the other FFA students were so well trained that they would provide veterinary care services to the area ranchers and farmers, like vaccinating the livestock. He was also an athletic student and participated in sports, although not condoned by his parents. He would sneak off to play games on the school team, hiding his uniform and changing back into his school clothes before returning home. Homer graduated from Park Colored High School of Goodlow/Kerens, Texas after his formative education in Hester Grove. His future laid out as that of his father and all those living around him, he thought. He recalled working in the field one day and his father came out stating that “Carl and Freda are at Prairie View, and if you want to go you’d better get going.” He dropped the rake and said he couldn’t remember if he even changed clothes before heading to PV. He would study the subjects he loved and would receive a B.S. Degree in Agriculture (with a minor in Math/Science) from Prairie View A & M University. He parlayed his agriculture degree into a career that took him to rural communities across Texas and Asia. It was a friendship that began while working, that led to him meeting and later marrying Shirley Brooks of Marshall, Texas. He served in the army during the Vietnam War. After his discharge, he elected to go to Korea and teach agriculture to the residents often telling stories of his work with the native inhabitants and the rice patty fields he waded through. His efforts changed and enhanced the lives and crops of people across the globe from his little home town. He later tried his hands with construction and dry wall businesses. He loved growing things, including the growth of his family through the addition of one daughter, Kamron. Everyone recalls Homer taking Kamron down to the farm dressed in her little jeans and her little cowboy boots. The primary foundation planted by his parents, was a reverence for the Lord and service to God through active participation in the operation and business of the church. Homer Lee was a member of Crest-Moore King United Methodist Church which later became Community UMC where he served as a trustee, usher administration board member, and finance committee member. Homer Lee was a rancher/farmer at heart, who didn’t mind getting dirt under his nails. He continued to enjoy working in his yard “digging up” and planting his garden until his health failed. Left to cherish and bear fruit to his memory are his wife of fifty-three years, Shirley Jean Brooks Barton, only daughter, Kamron LeShawn Barton McGee, beloved grandson, Joseph Jackson Clayton; brother Charles (Patricia) Barton; Sisters: Thelma Borbin, Linda (Bob) Hendrix, and Eulanda Yarbough; a host of nieces and nephews and beloved friends; God daughter, Letisha (Bobby) Hamilton.
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