Sandra (Tanner) and Richard Barton

This information was taken from the obituary and information from Richard:

Sandra passed away February 1, 2016.  She was married to Richard Barton, CHS class of ’56.

Sandra graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and taught 1st grade for thirty-two years.  She retired in 1992.  After retiring Sandra enjoyed life with all her friends and family, traveling, playing bridge and Mahjong, exercising with her YMCA group, and walking the bird walk.

Some of her favorite high school memories were slumber parties at the Surf Motel, Band Trips, and going to Magnolia Beach with friends.

Richard passed away July 22, 2020. He had retired from Dow Chemical and Union Carbide after working for forty-three years as a professional engineer, designing, building, and operating high-pressure cross-country pipelines and underground salt dome chemical storage facilities.  He retired from Dow Chemical in July 2001.

Richard enjoyed playing golf every day, and after Sandra passed he volunteered at the hospital to have something to do and stay in touch with people.  Richard was an accomplished artist and enjoyed drawing and watercolor.

Richard and Sandra were married fifty-four years.  In Richard’s own words, “Sandra made living every day a pleasure for me.  And she never met a person she did not like.”

The following is a poem written by Sharon on Sandra's 70th birthday:

To Sandra - Reflections For A Septuagenarian

I know that turning “70" really hurts

For someone who once belonged to “The 4 Flirts.”

I thought I’d jot down some nostalgic events

That we’ve both remembered ever since.

We started first grade in the old downtown

From then on we started running around.

We breezed right through elementary school

Laughing and joking, we thought we were cool.

From Miss Shinpaugh to Mr. Hoot

Each teacher had a special attribute.

There was Sunday School and Hampton Bowman

Who shocked us like a true Puritan.

Writing notes and eating candy in church

Singing duets with you standing up on a perch.

Our Pioneer Fellowship was for the “in” crowd

But extra boys were always allowed.

There was Tom Bolling and Ed Robertson

And those hayrides were the picture of innocent fun.

Our slumber parties never involved sleep

Remember driving at night in the jeep?

At the Surf we thought we learned to smoke

But actually all we did was choke.

How could we forget those carefree band trips

And going to Land’s for the companionships.

Lunches at Millie’s and the LaSalle Café

Taking off from school in my 56 Chevrolet

Is 30 cents for a hamburger all we would pay?

But the group never went except on Friday.

There were drive-in movies and double dates

And some of us even chose them as mates.

Off to college in different directions

But we never let go of our Port Lavaca connections.

I thought for this birthday I’d be very kind

Because we both know I’m not very far behind.

 

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