William Thomas Barton, IV, passed away on Sunday, July 31, 2016, surrounded by love, after a valiant battle with cancer.
Born in Coos Bay, Oregon, Bill grew up in Central New Jersey, graduating from South Plainfield High School in 1975 and moved to Waldorf, Maryland in the early 1980s. Bill graduated with an Associates in Arts degree from College of Southern Maryland (formerly Charles County Community College) in 1986.
With a love for computers and thirst for knowledge about almost all things, a natural career choice for Bill came and he would be employed as an IT Specialist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Washington, DC, for nearly 30 years. He always had an affinity for the stars and reached for them. He also worked at the U.S. Census.
Billy will always be remembered for his fierce dedication to anything he did, his strength in times of adversity, and continually facing challenges head-on. He was kind-hearted and generous in spirit. He made you laugh, was easy to love, and never afraid to show love in return. He was commanding yet humble, vivacious yet laid back and joyful for things both large and small. He had a great smile we will never forget.
Forever the link that connected people, and like the sign he was born under (Leo), he was fierce yet gentle, loyal, funny, proud, purposeful and strong, and admired by many. Neither a nearly life-taking spinal cord injury years ago nor cancer ever took his spirit and drive; he was able to accomplish many things and saw every project through beginning to end.
Bill was a magnet for others and hard to miss in a room full of people. Even animals sensed his being and compassion, and flocked to him constantly, and strangers were never strangers for long. He made lasting impressions on everyone he touched and he did touch many. He will forever be in our hearts.
Bill enjoyed the C’s – fine coffee, nice cars (really anything with an engine in it), computers, many genres of music, especially Classical, and his beloved Washington Redskins. He always shared many of his loves with friends and family.
Surviving are Billy’s father, William Thomas Barton III, mother, Lauretta J. O’Shea, sister Virginia (Ginny) Anne Matijasick (Tony), sister Trinity Claire Arnold (Gerard), brother Brian John Barton (Carrie), and extended family of nieces Grace, Emily, and Gina, nephews Kevin McMurtrey, Gerard Jr., Philip, William, Joseph, and David, and sisters Jennifer Ferlmann (Rusty) and Regina Manning. Bill also leaves behind several close, loving friends, Joe Dunbar, Mike Shaffer and Rob Roberts. Bill was predeceased by Alice H. Barton and Patrick O’Shea, his parents’ spouses.
We would like to thank the compassionate and caring staff at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Capital Caring, both of Washington, DC, especially Leslie Glick, RN, for her love of her work and my brother Bill, and Dr. Ashraf Meelu and staff of the Cancer and Blood Disorders Treatment Center in Waldorf.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Bill’s memory to something near to his heart: American Lung Association Lung Cancer Alliance – Why Give? Donate to Support our Lifesaving Work Today!
or Musicians on Call – Donate to Musicians on Call in Bill’s name
