Keith Arthur Barton

Keith Arthur Barton, 82, of Salt Lake City passed away peacefully on June 21, 2024. Born to Kenneth and Anne (Quiring) Barton on March 20, 1942, he grew up in Eugene, OR, where he had many adventures with his three siblings. At Chico State University, he studied chemistry and met Patricia Ingram, whom he married in 1968.

Keith worked as a plant chemist at Calaveras Cement in Redding, CA, then the young family moved to Utah. As a very early adopter of computers and programming, Keith transitioned to a role in computer control of rocket fuel systems and worked diligently for three decades at Hercules Aerospace / Alliant Techsystems in Utah. He was particularly proud of his work on the Titan IV rocket which launched the Cassini mission to explore Saturn.

As a teenager, Keith watched some people skiing and was smitten. He then taught himself to ski, once even buying a train ticket to Sun Valley with his paper route money. As a member of the National Ski Patrol, Keith used his rescue and emergency medical training working for several resorts in Oregon and California. Those who knew Keith off the slopes were often surprised at the elegant beauty of his skiing; he seemed to defy the laws of physics and moved like a dancer. While skiing was his favorite hobby for over 60 years, he didn’t get to do it much until retirement. As a retiree, he was delighted with his Alta season pass, made some wonderful friends, and could sometimes be spotted ballet skiing on his last run of the day.

Keith was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, where he enjoyed many years of volunteering his talents with computer and audiovisual equipment. Those who knew Keith remember his kind nature, his calm and unflappable demeanor, his quiet stubbornness, and his seemingly endless patience. He was dependable and could fix absolutely anything, and he showed his love faithfully with his acts of service to others. He enjoyed watching sitcoms, Nascar, sailboat races, and crime dramas. Keith loved his dog Kola, jazzy music, wool socks, maple syrup, chicken marsala, visiting his family, and optimizing the most trivial and ridiculous things for efficiency.

Keith is survived by his wife of 56 years, Patricia, their daughters Kristen (Anthony) Barton of Seattle, WA and Kimberly (Christopher) Iceman of Valparaiso, IN; grandchildren Elias and Albert; brother Bruce (Terri) Barton, sister Phyllis (Bud) Dye, and niece Sonja Sevcik. In addition to his parents, Keith was preceded in death by his brother, Daniel Barton. Keith received compassionate companionship from those who cared for him near the end of his life.

A private burial will take place at Memorial Holladay Cemetery, with a memorial gathering to follow at a later date. Starks Funeral Parlor is assisting the family with arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice. Online condolences can be shared at www.starksfuneral.com