Christopher Girard Barton

Christopher Girard Barton passed away on September 26, 2016 in Littleton Colorado after a brief illness.  Chris is survived by his siblings Jonathan Barton, Constance Barton, and Laura Barton, his sister-in-law Pamela Barton, and nephews Cameron Barton and Connor Barton.

Chris was born in Columbus Ohio and lived there until his teen years when his family moved to California.  Chris graduated from the University of California at Irvine in 1974 with a BA in History. Chris graduated with honors and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Chris attend the College of William and Mary for graduate study in history, but was forced to withdraw for financial reasons.

Chris kept his love of history alive by working as a Historical Interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg, rising to a supervisory level where he oversaw the activities of 15-20 other interpreters. Chris developed training programs for adult leaders, coordinated with various departments to maintain the historical accuracy of the site, developed interpretative plans and programs, as well as managing the daily operations of his assigned site. Chris was recognized for outstanding use of interpretive knowledge and ability to adapt material to age groups. He was chosen to be among the vanguard for the re-interpretation program for the Royal Governor’s Palace. Chris was selected for special duties relating to the 1983 Economic Summit.

After he moved back to California, Chris continued using his knowledge of history when he landed a job as historical interpreter for the cruise ship the Queen Mary. A highlight of his career at the Queen Mary was the opportunity to give a tour to his in-laws who had traveled across the Atlantic on the ship many years before when it was still in service.

Chris faithfully cared for his mother Julie until her death in 1998. After that Chris moved to Colorado to be closer to family. Chris found work as a retail clerk and with his skills and abilities quickly moved up to assistant manager.

Friends and family were very important to Christopher. He had a best friend, Kris Goyner with whom he corresponded with just about every day. Christopher  cherished this friendship.

He loved politics and was a tireless volunteer in the current election and made some wonderful new friends.

He loved all animals and was a long-time member of the Denver Zoo.

Pets were an important part of his life and he always  had a variety of cats. His beloved partner Mikey convinced him to get a dog and they soon adopted a little Chihuahua they named Vinnie. Chris adored Vinnie and he added much joy to Chris's life.

Chris will be missed by his family and friends. 

A Memorial Service will be held at a later date.

 Service Information