Barton Albert Buhtz

Barton Albert Buhtz, beloved husband to Beverly Ann Buhtz (Ediger) and loving father to Brendilee April DeSoto (Buhtz), BeAnn Alaine Buhtz and Bryan August Buhtz, eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren entered into the arms of his Loving Father in Heaven on Resurrection Sunday, April 9, 2023. He is survived by sister Alice Elaine Gardner (Buhtz) and preceded in death by his parents William and Alice Buhtz, brother Dennis Buhtz and sister Roberta Bowman (Buhtz).

Barton was born August 6, 1939, in Bellingham, Washington. The family moved from Washington to Oregon when he was a child where he attended Quincy Elementary. He then attended Bellingham High School where he played the sousaphone in the school’s marching band and had the honor of marching in California’s Pasadena Rose Parade in 1957.

For two years Barton served in the US Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton in California, serving in active duty and then in the Reserves. He was a Patriot who loved his country.

On August 6, 1960, Barton’s 21st birthday, he and Beverly married. They were married just shy of 63 years.

During their life together Barton was involved with as many as 26 radio stations working as a disc jockey for Family radio. Music, writing, storytelling, inventing, and reporting were some of Barton’s passions. He also worked tirelessly as a consumer advocate.

Sports were a big part of his life as well. He enjoyed playing softball and was on the basketball team in college. He had part ownership in a steel manufacturing business, owned a newspaper “Northside News”, had several inventions including a patented wind turbine of which he is most known for.

Much of Barton’s life involved music. He attended Simpson Bible College in San Francisco, California and majored in theology and minored in music. He was choir director for many years in the Evangelical Free Church of North Hollywood, California and then carried that passion to the Open Bible Church in Tujunga, California. He ministered with his voice in song and narration on the radio, on records, in churches, in choirs and quartets, musicals, nursing homes, Bible studies and even at the lake and while he was in the hospital. If a song came to mind, it was immediately flowing from his voice for all to hear.

Over the years he developed and recorded a five-minute program called “Another Story”. In five-minute segments he would get his listeners to find interest in the book that God gave us and that we know as the Bible. Most recently he was able to share many of these segments at 7am and again at 10am on Sunday mornings on KRIM-FM at 96.3 in Payson, Arizona.

Barton’s passion for people to know Jesus was often started with the question, “Do you know my best friend?” This would pique the person’s interest which then opened the door for many people to hear the gospel. He shared Jesus wherever and whenever he could. He was a prayer warrior for his family and friends and was dedicated to making sure no one went without hearing about the love of Jesus. It is very fitting that God chose to bring Barton into His Kingdom on the day we celebrated the remembrance of the Resurrection of Jesus who conquered death once and for all!