Hugh Perry Barton

April 6, 1932 - November 20, 2013.

We rejoice with our dear Papa Bear that he has attained perfect peace, even

while our hearts ache over the huge hole his absence leaves. Born to Alice

Hall Barton and Paul 'Chief' Barton, Hugh was raised on the family walnut

ranch in Escalon where he worked on the land and in the agricultural

equipment business from a young age. From Escalon he went to the University

of California where he began his lifelong devotion to Cal. While

at Cal he met his sweetheart, Sheila, a Mills College girl. Their budding

romance was threatened by his first diagnosis of cancer but after a year of

treatment they were wed in 1954 and settled in Modesto to be near the

family business. They were blessed with two children despite the radical

cancer treatment he had undergone.

Hugh was blessed with and cultivated a large circle of friends through

the many interests and causes he supported through the years.

Hugh traveled the world promoting and cultivating the agricultural equipment business that produced nut processing equipment invented and patented by his father which Hugh further developed. Upon his retirement from the ag equipment business, Hugh got together with several of his friends and formed what would become

Modesto Banking Company, a local bank that was enormously successful. This evolved into his second career in investment banking in the Los

Altos/Peninsula area where he founded the Bank of Los Altos, and The Private Bank which became Avid Bank.

Hugh was known as a tireless advocate of the many interests and causes he supported through the years. Hugh served as a Regent for the

University of the Pacific. He was involved with the Chancellors Club of UC

Davis, served as UC Berkeley Foundation trustee and as chair of the

Stanislaus County Campaign for UC Berkeley. For many years, Hugh and Sheila

cheered the Bears from their 50 yard-line seats.

Hugh also served on the boards of Memorial Hospital Foundation in

Modesto, the Episcopal Church Foundation and the advisory boards of the

Salvation Army in Modesto and Monterey.

Hugh loved music and was active in the Modesto Symphony Orchestra and the Carmel Bach Festival. He was a member of Del Rio Country Club in Modesto, Pebble Beach Tennis Club, and Carmel Valley Ranch where he and Sheila lived until recently. Hugh dearly loved being a member of the Old Capital Club. Deeply committed to the Salvation Army and the call to doing the most good for the community, Hugh rallied business men and women to give generously;

encouraging the concept of Kettle Kick-off luncheons and the friendly

competition among neighboring corps. This call continued a commitment to the army that went back several generations in the Barton family. Hugh was deeply humbled to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Salvation Army for his efforts.

Hugh is survived by his wife, Sheila Grieve Barton, daughter Elizabeth

(Daniel) Barton Ferrell, son James (Paula) Barton, grandchildren Ellen

Barton and RJ Barton, one brother, Gerald Barton and family, as well as

many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held on December 3 at 1:00 pm at St. Dunstan's Episcopal

Church, 28003 Robinson Canyon Road, Carmel Valley. A reception will follow immediately in the parish hall.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hugh's favorite

charities/causes: St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church, P. O. Box 101, Carmel

Valley, CA; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of the

Pacific, Stockton; the Salvation Army, Monterey Corps; and Community

Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

Go Bears!