Condolence: To the Family of Barton Glass

I was very saddened to hear of Barton’s passing. Barton and I grew up together in Shreveport and were classmates at Fair Park High School. He was a good friend … a very good friend. I have recalled our times together often over these many years … always coming away with a smile, a very positive feeling and so glad of our time together. I thank him for his friendship.

Both of us were interested in improving our strength and physical well being, so we got together quite often in my backyard after school for exercises, some weight lifting, and “in depth” discussions of what was going on. Lots of fun and the activity served to push both of us to do more and to do better.

We took plane geometry together and spent many hours working on problems and proofs – another good bit of camaraderie and competition for who could do the problems faster and more cleverly.

We spent 3 years together in ROTC and in one of our favorite activities – The Dixie Drill Team. What a great experience! We worked hard on our routines and traveled to a number of places to perform. One of those was Mardi Gras in New Orleans, where we marched in the Rex Parade. What an extraordinary treat and unique experience that was! It was part of our growing up together.

Our Senior year Barton became a Company Commander – Company A - in the ROTC program. He did a terrific job of leadership of the sophomores and juniors in that Company, providing a very positive example of how good leadership is accomplished. I have thought of his work there many, many times and with great admiration. It is a job that I could not have done and one that he did in natural course.

And one humorous example of “What in the world are you doing?” During the summer after we graduated from Fair Park, Barton and a friend (I have forgotten who at this point) decided to take a trip from Shreveport to the Pacific NW – Oregon or Washington. As I recall, it was in a 1952 Chevy, which was not in the best of conditions. Barton told me that during the trip up there the car used 56 quarts of oil! I expect to this day you can still follow the blue haze trail left by that ’52 Chevy.

I leave you with my very best regards and the knowledge that Barton touched many, many lives … and left each of us much the better for it.

Stan Speed

Condolence: I will miss "Uncle Barton", and I pray God holds all his loved ones' close, like a warm blanket, on a cold Winters night.