Bennie Gene "Red" Barton of Eagle Mountain Lake passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2015. Funeral: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, at Lake Country Church, 8777 Boat Club Road, Fort Worth. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Biggers Funeral Home, 6100 Azle Ave., Lake Worth. Red was born in Fort Worth on June 23, 1929. He attended Diamond Hill High School, where he met his beloved wife, Billie Myruel Wallace of North Side, and the mother of their three children. Soon after getting married in 1947, Red and Billie Myruel moved to Eagle Mountain Lake and opened a business called Red's Boat Dock on Lechner Road until they relocated to Live Oak Lane. After several years in business at Red's Boat Dock, they operated the Cruise Inn across the cove on Live Oak Lane. During all this time, Red became one of the originators of the Eagle Mountain Volunteer Fire Department where he served as fire chief. Red also served as a Tarrant County deputy sheriff, and then a Tarrant County Precinct 4 Constable until 1966. After a divorce from Billie Myruel in 1966, Red married Billie June Case. After Billie June Barton's death in 2001, Red and Billie Myruel remarried in 2006 until he passed. After a term as constable, he became a lake patrolman for the Tarrant Regional Water District. He retired as chief of law enforcement for 27 years. Red's biggest concern was the safety of the community and the boaters on the lake. He dedicated his life to serving his community. One of Chief Barton's accomplishments for his community was establishing ambulance service for North West Tarrant County around Eagle Mountain Lake. Throughout the years, Chief Barton continued to build the fire department into one of the best volunteer fire departments and emergency medical services in Tarrant County. Red was preceded in death by Billie June Barton and Michael Case. Survivors: He is survived by his children, B.G. "Butch" Barton, Sherry Anderson and Michael Barton; stepdaughter, Debbie Stewart; 12 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
Published in Star-Telegram on Oct. 4, 2015