Norman Gary Barfoot

July 23, 1939–April 3, 2021

Beloved husband, father, and grandfather Norman Gary Barfoot passed away peacefully

at home on April 3, 2021. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 61 years, Barbara; his

daughter Suzanne Bailey and her husband Robert, his daughter Christy Balentine and her

husband Stephen, and his three grandchildren: Claire Bailey, Jonathan Balentine, and Grace

Balentine. He was predeceased by his mother, Neva Louise; his father, Joseph Clark; and his

brothers, Dennis and Wesley.

Gary was born on July 23, 1939, in Risco, Missouri, where he later picked cotton with his

family, played basketball, and attended Risco High School. He deeply loved his parents and eight

siblings. He met Barbara at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, class of 1961. Gary was

a United States Air Force officer from 1963 to 1985, and flew C–123s and B–52s during the

Vietnam War. In 1974 he received a Master of Education degree from the University of

Massachusetts, with an emphasis in organizational behavior. He served as Assistant Air Attache

to the American embassy in Canberra, Australia from 1974 to 1977, commanded the 2nd Bomb

Squadron, and served as Deputy Base Commander of March Air Force Base with the 22nd

Bombardment Wing.

Following his Air Force career, he worked for McDonnell-Douglas Training Systems. He

was then the Director of Personnel at Mission Aviation Fellowship in Redlands, California for

seven years. He taught in the business department at California Baptist University from 1997 to

2007, and he received a Ph.D. in Organization and Management from Capella University in

2000.

Gary!s chief delights were spending time with his family and friends, reading, painting,

woodworking, sailing, going for long walks, and worshipping with his church family.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider a donation to either the Agape

Fund at Cornerstone Fellowship Bible Church in Riverside, California, or to Mission Aviation

Fellowship in Nampa, Idaho.