of Little Rock, AR

September 5, 1931 - January 17, 2022

Mary Ellen Kirkpatrick Barton, 90, died January 17, 2022, at a nursing facility in Little Rock. She will be missed by her beloved family.

She was born September 5, 1931, in Pike County, to Edward Lewis and Olevia Burnett Kirkpatrick. She is preceded in death by her parents, by her half-sisters, Bessie Maude Phillips, Rebecca Ella Owens, Evia Florence Kelley, and Mary Glenna McLarrin, and half-brother Jesse Levi Kirkpatrick. She is preceded in death by her brothers William Edward Kirkpatrick, Loyd Dale Kirkpatrick, and Bobby Wayne Kirkpatrick; and by her sisters Opal Faye Brown, Lois Lee Farrer, Eddress Marie Horn, Bonnie Sue Kimbro, and Betty Lou Ewell.

She married the love of her life, James Harold Barton on March 2, 1951, in Conway. He died April 16, 1991, in Little Rock. She is also preceded in death by her daughter Karen Gayle Barton Craig, and by two grandchildren, James Matthew and Amanda Katherine Barton, the children of James Michael and Karen Barton. Amanda was called the last Miss Barton by her grandpa James Barton.

She is survived by her children: son James Michael (Karen Lynn) Barton, by daughter Cathy Lynne Patrick (Bill) Watts, and by her son Kenneth Harold (Sarah) Barton. She is survived by her grandchildren: David Michael (Debra) Barton, Rachel Lauren Patrick, Eric Lawson Patrick, Jacob William Barton Craig, and Jared Barton Joseph (Amanda) Craig. She is also survived by Kenneth's children, Kenneth Kim-Ray Barton, and Hannah Marian-Lee (Benjamin) Lewis. She is also survived by three great-grandsons, Jackson Matthew Barton, Blake James Barton, and Emery James Dokken.

Many words describe Mary Barton other than mom or grandma. She was very smart, very proud, and very determined. She and James were going to have a better life and their children would do even better. Mary and James were a couple of small-town Arkansas kids when they were married. What they lacked in education they made up for with grit, hard work and determination. They lived the American Dream. Mary decided that she would go back to school, get her GED, and become an LPN at Baptist Hospital. And she did! Later she went to UALR, got her degree, and became an RN, also at Baptist. She retired from Baptist in 1994 after 26 years of service. James worked hard at Jones Truck Lines, and he became a terminal manager in Pine Bluff and Hot Springs. Their hard work paid off. All four of their children received college degrees and have had successful lives.

The family would like to thank the nurses at Kindred Hospice and the staff at The Springs of Pinnacle Mountain Nursing Home for their devotion and care of our mom/grandma.

Due to the pandemic, services will be held at a later date.

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