Mary Lou Barton

Mary Lou Barton passed away on December 30, 2015 after battling cancer. Mary Lou was raised in Wellman, Iowa in a wonderful family that included her father Gene, mother Ruth, and brothers Glen and Duane. She attended the University of Iowa graduating in 1976 with a bachelors degree in nursing. The same year she passed nursing boards in California and joined Campus Crusade for Christ. She accepted an assignment working as a nurse at the Mbabane Clinic in Swaziland, Africa.
In addition to Swaziland, Mary Lou also worked in Lesotho and in Kenya. Occasionally, in Lesotho, she conducted an immunization clinic after being flown to a remote location by Missionary Aviation Fellowship.
In 1984 Mary Lou married Robert Barton in a ceremony at Campus Crusade’s Emafini Estate in Swaziland. She and Bob lived in Kenya and then in Swaziland over the next two years and then returned to the United States at the end of 1986. They left Campus Crusade in 1990 the year their first daughter, Megan, arrived. Daughter, Sara, arrived two years later and Mary Lou relished her role as home-maker and mother.
Highly intelligent and creative, Mary Lou poured her skills into family, home-schooling, and serving her church family. She developed many strong friendships and those she knew remember her concern for others and her bright smile.
Mary Lou wanted to survive to be there for her girls. As cancer advanced, she understood that God may not cure her from disease but would be with her through the journey. She never questioned why God would allow her to have cancer. Rather, she chose to focus on six decades of God’s blessings.
Mary Lou is survived by her parents Gene and Ruth Eash; brother Glen Eash and his wife Donna; brother Duane Eash, his wife Jean, and their son Ross; husband Robert Barton and their daughters Megan Barton and Sara Barton. Mary Lou was 61.
Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say again, Rejoice! – Philippians 4:4