|
Excerpt from Ken's obituary in the Dayton Daily News, Sunday, March 19, 2017:
Kenneth Barrett, Age 72 passed away Thursday, March 9, 2017 at Hospice at Dayton. He was born November 18, 1944 in Dayton, Ohio ; son of the late Arthur Barrett. Keneth is survived by his mother, Wanda Elizabeth Barrett; brother, Robert (Kathryn) Barrett, niece, Jennifer (Daniel) Bloch, nephew, James (Roxanne) Barrett; and great nephew and niece, Brody Wargel and Amy Bloch. He served in the US Army and is a retiree of Ohio Bell Telephone. The family will receive friends at Morton & Whetsone Funeral Home, 139 S. Dixie Drive, Vandaliion , OH on Thursday, March 23, 2017 from 2-4 PM. A private inurnment will follow. Contributions may bemade to Hospice of Dayton, 324 Wilmington Ave, Dayton. OH 45420.
|
Stewart Nestor
In high school, I had two kinds of friends: those that got me in trouble (Ed Harvey) and those whose company you enjoyed, Ken Barrett. Ken and I got along because we could both walk the halls of Vandalia Butler without notice. He never broke out of his shyness, though if you got enough beer in him, his tongue loosened like a standup comedian. Before I get to that story, let me tell you about gentle Ken.
Ken was way more shy than most of us boys at school, though he had a sense of humour. I'd kid him about his last name, which probably annoyed him more than I realized. When I'd come over to visit him, he and I would ride bikes, walk to Parkmore or find a board game to play. HIs mother was very welcoming and enjoyed my visits and always encouraged me to come back. She knew Ken's shyness was a barrier to friendships.
After graduation, we went different directions until we both ended up in Germany in 1967. He was a short-timer in the Army when I was just got there as a new recruit. Before he left we took a trip to Austria and there I became Ed Harvey and got him drunk. We got so drunk we couldn't find our way back to the train station. When we did find it, our train had left. At the time the consequences of missing that train had not penetrated our inebriated brains. Later I was able to sneak into my unguarded compound while Ken had no such luck. The MP's nabbed him at the gate.
After the Army, I left the state and Ken was off working for AT&T. Every so often during my trips home, I'd stop by his parents to get the latest family news about Ken.
I am sorry to hear of his passing. I would have liked to have one more visit.
Art Barnes
Ken was one of my best friends at Butler High. Our last names put us together in home rooms, and I think we started as bowling buddies in junior high. Several of our classmates were in the Saturday morning league at Crossroads Lanes. Ken and I were not great individual bowlers, but we somehow won several doubles tournament trophies. Of course, when we re-connected, we swore we'd break out the old bowling balls to see if we still had the touch ... but we never did. I visited Ken in Fairborn a few years ago, where he was living with his lovable Basset hound, Megan. When Bob Clayton and I went to the funeral gathering, Ken’s brother Bob said Megan had died 5 or 6 years ago. Ken kept a plaster paw print of Megan next to his living room coffee table, and he never took down her leash from the back door. The world misses such as kind heart as yours, Ken.