Obituary of capt willard davis barron usn

After a short, but hard-fought battle with Covid, Bill went home to his Lord on September 1, 2021. We are blessed to know he is now at peace and without pain. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Preston Barron and Lessie Mae (Ramsey) Barron; his brother, John Ramsey Barron and nephew, John Clyde Barron. Also preceding him in death were his beloved wives, Dorothy Virginia (McKibben) Barron (1944-1972) and Ann Patricia (Jackson) Barron (1977-1987). He is survived by his loving wife of 32 years, Harriett Ann (Paley) Barron; daughters, Lynne Barron O’Connor (John) and grandson, John Michael O’Connor and Barbara Barron Herndon (David) and granddaughter, Natalie Herndon Holter (Brandon) and great-grandsons, Kasen and Beckham Holter and nephew Steven Wayne Barron (Delores). He is also survived by his much-loved stepchildren, Sean Barrington (Kevin), Michele Prehn, Sheri Barrington (Steve); grandchildren, Sydney Brouker (Jake), Kaila Parker (Lance), Rachel Tunstal, Karl Prehn, Haley Moore (Gayner), and great-grandchildren, Bennett Helton and Carter, Carmelo and Aaliyah House. He also leaves behind his beloved fur-buddy and constant companion, Bama. Bill was born at home in the rural town of Pelican, Louisiana in DeSoto Parrish on October 25, 1921. His father was the Parrish Notary and Storekeeper. He was known for providing for those in need in his community during the Great Depression with no expectations of repayment. This is where service was ingrained in Bill from an early age. His family would go without in order to provide for their neighbors. They always believed they were blessed and God would provide. Bill grew up working the family farm and graduated from Pelican High School and received his Engineering degree from Louisiana Tech. In 1944, he joined the Navy as an enlisted man in engineering and was quickly moved to Supply Corp with an officer’s commission. He served as Supply Officer on both the light cruiser USS Topeka and the Destroyer USS Walker. He spent much of his early career in China and Japan and later in Vietnam. He travelled extensively making sure all military financial and supply needs were met in those areas. Several duty stations included South Carolina, California, Hawaii and Virginia, although much of his time was spent travelling for the Navy. His education included Colgate University where he received his Masters in Finance, Midshipman School at Cornell University and later Naval Supply Corps School in Bayonne, NJ. and Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. Bill retired in 1977 from the Pentagon as Comptroller for the Pacific and the most senior Captain in the Navy. He moved to Pensacola in 1978, building one of the first homes in Lake Charlene and another later on the Lake. He served on various Homeowners Associations for over 30 years including Lake Charlene and Dockside on Perdido Key. During his 33 years of exemplary service and total devotion to duty, he received numerous medals and commendations including the World War II Victory Medal: American Campaign: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign: China Service Medal: Asiatic Pacific Occupation, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal and the Legion Of Merit Citation (of which he was extremely proud) while serving as the Deputy for Finance in the Chief of Naval Operations Fiscal Management Division and later as the Director of the Financial Control Division in the Department of the Navy Secretariat. Besides his dedication and service to his country, he was totally devoted to God and his family. Bill was a true Southern gentleman, courteous, true to his word, always willing to lend a hand, offer guidance and assistance and never afraid to get his hands dirty. He lived his life truly committed to his unwavering faith in our Lord, treating everyone honestly and with respect. He touched many lives and was an amazing man - loyal, kind, generous, soft spoken but incredibly strong. His family is grateful for the many life lessons he taught us- Faith in God, education, service to others, honesty, integrity and a strong work ethic. We were all so blessed to have him for so many years and he will live on in our hearts and in how we live our lives. We will remember all of the joy, laughter and smiles (and tears) he brought to all of us. We know he is walking with the Angels and watching us from above. Bill was an active member at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church for over 32 years and instrumental in the funding and building of the existing church today. He was also a lifelong Mason. A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, September 9, 2021 at 11:00am at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 850 North Blue Angel Parkway, Pensacola, Florida 32506. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations in Bill’s memory to Covenant Care, 5041 North 12th Avenue, Pensacola, Florida 32504 or choosecovenant.org. A Committal Service will be held at a later date with full Military Honors at Arlington National Cemetery.