Curtis Roy Barkley

It was a shock to hear about Curt's death from his dear Mother. Since we have learned about his beutiful celebration of his life
on Jan 28th. The day before the weather wasn't good but that day it was lovely. I remember when we visited Curt and I played Connect 4 he was a very good competitor. The family has our deepest sympathy.
Ed & Edith Kienholz

Roy and Eileene were so proud of the work Curt did for them. He had a real talent.
He loved his dog too and the dog is a blessing to Roy as he loves it so and the exercise
has kept him so strong. Eileene says the dog is so well behaved.
At the reunion Curt and my husband Wayne enjoyed the baseball game and Wayne
said Curt was very good.
Curt was my cousin and even though distance in miles I didn't spend much time with him
I always heard about him from Roy and Eileene or from my Mom.
I know his family will miss him terribly and so will we. We know he is in a better place.
And pray for the family to have strength and comfort from the Lord through this difficult time.
Love, Lynette & Wayne

  I remember when the Barkleys moved in next door, and I saw this adorable 3 year old.  This was Curt, the little boy who loved riding his tricycle from morning to night.  I see he moved from three wheels to four, while riding in the great outdoors, and still loved it.
  He truly was a 'big brother to my daughter Shannon,  and also to her little sister Dawn, who came along a little later.  They made a lot of memories together while growing up.  We all enjoyed our friendship with the whole Barkley family.
  Curt was the reason we were 'pulled in' to the Barkley family so many years ago, and even though we haven't seen much of each other after they moved away, the love has remained.
  Curt.....you will be truly thought of and missed for the rest of all our lives.  At times you were my own little 'Dennis the Mennice'....and this is said in a most loving and comical way. From dirt clods disovered in a neighbors pool, to the softball that went down the sewer clean out in the back yard.  It was rather comical to see Chris, held by his feet while digging, and then removing the soaked ball from the T-joint about four feet down.  We never solved that "mystery".  :)
  I truly regret letting so many years go by before seeing you again, but am glad you came by that last time.  And I'm glad we all got the chance to come up to Cottonwood to see you and your Mom and Dad, while the girls were in town .
  We knew you when you were a happy little boy, and we will see you again when God decides He has better things for us to do.  It's all in His time, and it's all in His Hands.   So bye for a while.......Love Diane and Chris Christianson

I have so many fond childhood memories of you, Curt, I hardly know where to begin. As early as I can remember you were living right next door. Our summers were spent building dirt clod forts in the farmers’ field; playing ‘Kracan’, a game we made-up where we had to freeze or hide every time a car drove by; riding bikes, I distinctly recall one time you called out to my mom “Look Diane, no hands!” promptly fell off and skinned-up both elbows. You showed me where to catch craw-dads out of the irrigation ditches after a rain. One summer you had the biggest craw-dad we had ever caught and he lived happily (at least we thought so) in a bucket eating his daily share of bologni. I remember many games of marbles with the coveted ‘steely’ as the ultimate prize. You even had a steely that was at least 5 inches in diameter! I think it must have been a tractor tire bearing or something, but this one was just for show because you never entered it in our contests. There was even a game we’d play with other neighborhood kids where we’d throw the football in the air and whoever caught it had to run away like crazy because the rest of the players could now tackle them with no mercy. I had many a tattered clothing from this game; not to mention grass stains and bruises. You were the big brother I never had and you helped turn me into a tough little tomboy, thank you.

I loved the trips my family took to your parents’ cabin in Potato Patch and being pulled behind your ATC in the snow on top of an inner tube at speeds far outside of my comfort zone. No injuries there! But later I would crack my tailbone riding on the back of your ATC when you drove it into a ditch while I yelled “no, don’t go down there!”. It wouldn’t have been so bad except I had to sit on a pillow and you insisted on making my sister and I watch horror movies that afternoon, thanks!

The day you moved away was one of my saddest childhood memories. This all seems like a lifetime ago. Twenty years must have passed before we met again. Two years ago my parents, sister, and I drove-up for a visit. It was crazy to see you older but I could still see the mischievous little boy with the sparkle in his eye who, in my opinion, had always bore a striking resemblance to Rob Lowe. You were so excited to see us; as were we to see you. In your room you had a wall hanging my mom had made you as a child and showed us a scrapbook you kept with some of our pictures. My sister and I thought you were so sweet and friendly; we were really happy to have seen you.

Although we weren’t a part of each other’s adult lives; you are forever woven into the tapestry of my childhood with mischief, laughter, and love. Until we meet again my friend, God bless you and your family. Love, Shannon

 

 

 

While Christmas shopping at the Christian bookstore, Curt asked me what was the fish all about. I told him the origin of the symbol: The new Christians were being persecuted and even put to horrible deaths because of their faith. The story goes that they devised a way to secretly signal other Christians or, if just meeting someone, to find out if that person were also a believer by simply taking their foot and casually drawing an arc with their toe on the ground. Then, if the other person was a Christian, he, just as causally, would draw an ark with his toe to complete the fish. Now, they could speak to each other about their faith and pass along information without fear. He thought that was so cool & got a fish magnet for his truck. Every time we were at church, he arched his foot with a smile on his face. The last two months, Curt had a new hope; he saw the possibility of freedom from the demons that had plagued him for so long. He was becoming a new person and they were the best times we ever had.