We Lost A Good Man!

[Gary Lange]

A fellow Aurora Backlashers Bass Fishing Club member and in fact the founder along with another friend named Bill Berry has passed away from complications related to cancer. He was taken to the Hospital on Thursday night with pneumonia and very low blood pressure and passed away at 9:00pm. His name was Jim "Blackie" Barton and if any of you would have known him you would have loved him for sure. I fished my first Tournament with Blackie as everyone called him and watched him dance down the ramp at other tourney's at the age of 74. He was a driving force for this club and for Bass Fishing at Table Rock Lake and I will miss his smile and his handshake. I hope you all will say a prayer for this wonderful man.

[bassman1308]

Blackie fished his first bass club tourney with me many years ago as a new member of the Aurora Bass Houns. We fished together several more times over the years. Because our club had a long waiting list, he left our club and started the Aurora Backlashers. Blackie also helped me start the wedn night tourney out of the Shell Knob bridge and later, ran it on his own until he became ill. Blackie Barton was highly respected by everyone who knew him, and he knew a lot of people. This man loved to fish. As sick as he was, he fished the last two wedn night tourneys and last satr nights tourney. In my life of 65 yrs, I don't think that I've met anyone more dedicated to being a good person with integerty and honesty high on his list. I feel lucky to have called Blackie my friend. As Gary said, a great man, loved by all.

[Champ188]

I didn't know him but have seen many like him pass on. Sad when they must go, indeed. We should all be thankful that Blackie was able to spend his last days doing what he loved ... fishing.