Margaret Patricia Barton

Margaret Patricia “Patty” Barton passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 13, 2014 at the age of 66, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Redwood Falls, MN on September 19, 1948 to Kermit and Margaret Nelson. When Patty was 5 years old, her mother died, which affected her deeply. Her dad died when she was 28. She loved sharing stories about her dad’s golf game and pharmacy in Redwood Falls, her adventures with her best childhood friend Buffy, and how she accidentally sold her brother’s duck decoys that were in the trunk of her car. As a teenager, she loved her horses, visiting her aunts and uncles, singing and playing guitar. She graduated from Redwood Falls High School in 1966 and attended St. Cloud State University for one year, and worked as a nursing aide in the neonatal intensive care unit at Hennepin County General Hospital. Patty married Robert (Bob) Barton, the love of her life, on July 19, 1972, in Roosevelt, MN, near Baudette. Together they raised their two children, Joe and Annie, in Ham Lake, MN, and Pine City, MN. She also cared deeply for her stepchildren, Deb, Scott, Bob, Jim, Steve, Kevin, Vanessa, Patti, and Mike and all their spouses, children and grandchildren. Together with Bob she enjoyed hosting family and friends, bible studies, singing, gardening, fishing, camping, playing cards, raising animals on their hobby farm, shopping for antiques, going to church, and making arts & crafts. She loved to cook and had dozens of recipes that are favorites of many and were captured in a cookbook called “Whoopin’ Something Up with Gramma Pat & Friends”. She enjoyed canning, making soap, painting, decorating, organizing, singing, hootenannies, and celebrating birthdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas with family. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. At the age of 24, she gave birth to her son Joseph, who was born with a rare disease that went undiagnosed for six months. He was very sick. In desperation, she held her baby up in the air and cried out to God, saying “please save my baby, I dedicate him to your service”. Shortly thereafter, the doctors diagnosed him with Hirschsprung’s Disease and within a few months he was miraculously healthy and happy. Her life was changed as she trusted Jesus Christ for salvation. She enjoyed watching TV evangelists such as Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart, as well as the 700 Club. She grew in her Christian faith by reading or listening to her bible every day for the rest of her life, and encouraged all her friends and loved ones to do the same. When she was 31, she gave birth to her daughter, Annie. Born 3 months premature and weighing just 3 lbs., 1 ounce, again her child was battling for her life. They both made it through and became best of friends for a lifetime. She was Annie’s matron of honor at her wedding in 2006. They talked on the phone several times per day, enjoying life together. Annie and her husband Jack were with her as she took her final breath. She had two godchildren, Mark Nelson and Katie (Krzyska) Boudreau, who she prayed for often and encouraged to read their bibles and follow Jesus. Patty was baptized as an adult with her husband, Bob, and her daughter, Anne, in Fish Lake in Harris, MN in 2002. Patty is survived by her husband, Bob. Her children, Joseph Christian (Amanda) Barton of Brandon, SD, Anne Margaret (Jack) Long of Pine City. Her brother Michael (Sylvia) Nelson. Her grandchildren Anders, Sedric, Carson and Isaiah Barton, and Grace, Emmaline and Lydia Margaret Long. Her nephews Mark (Tracy) Nelson and Paul (Alyssa) Nelson. Her stepchildren Deb (Dan) Runyon, Scott Barton, Bob Barton, James Barton, Steve (Emily) Barton, Kevin (Mary) Barton, Vanessa, Patti (Jay), Lucy Barton, and 29 step-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents Kermit & Margaret (Kleiner) Nelson, and stepson Michael David Barton, the father of Miguel and Sophia Barton. Bob, Joe and Anne would like to thank all of the people who visited, supported, comforted and prayed for Patty. Especially... Jack, Gracie, Emmaline and Lydia Margaret Long. Amanda, Anders, Sedric, Carson & Isaiah Barton. Mike & Sylvia Nelson. Pastor Tim & Lesli Stratton and family. Mike & Pam Long and the entire Long family. Marilyn Caza. John & Dawn Mead and family. Tony & Joy Berens. Everyone at Grace Baptist Church in Pine City, and Rush City Baptist Church. Mark & Paul Nelson and families. Buffy Register. Deb & Dan Runyon, Scott Barton, Kevin & Mary Barton and Vanessa Anderson. Jerry & Renae Reu. The Rys family. The Hood family. The Tyrrell family and Wholetones music. The Barton Publishing team. All our Amish friends. Nurses and caregivers Becky, Breanna, Christine, Donna, Lila, Sue, and Traci. Dr. Novick, Dr. Bloom, Dr. Faith. Angels2TheHeart ministries. Vincent Gammill and the Natural Oncology Institute. And everyone else who helped Ma transition from here to Heaven. You have all helped us so much, we are so grateful! Pastor Tim Stratton will officiate funeral services at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 17, 2014 at Grace Baptist Church in Pine City. A time of visitation and reviewal will be held on Tuesday evening from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Swanson Funeral Chapel of Pine City and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the Pine Grove Cemetery just east of Pine City. Funeral arrangements are with the Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City, Swanson Chapel. www.funeralandcremationservice.com