Tribute to Jeremy Barton
On May 1 of this year, Jeremy Barton, son of a local Parowan farmer was killed in a car accident at age 25, just 30 days after being married. The whole community was shaken by the news. It is always unnerving to me to hear of someone my age dying. It makes me pause. It makes me appreciate my life a little more fully.
Just 6 weeks after Jeremy's death, on June 12, my brother-in-law, Mike Adams, organized this:
10 farmers, 10 swathers, a full day of labor cutting alfalfa reduced to 20 tear-filled minutes. Each swather window displayed Jeremy's initials in vinyl letters made by Kristen (Burke's little sister).
That morning, Alan left a message on Burke's phone racked with sobs, describing the experience. He said that row of red swathers was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen in his life.
Kacie Carballo (a Parowanite) posted on Facebook that day:
"I saw the most beautiful thing today. We lost a young man, Jeremy Barton, in the Parowan Valley a while ago to a car accident. Today, amidst the stresses of short water supply, too little time and encroaching bugs, farmers joined together to honor this young man by swathing the alfalfa field owned by the Barton Family. This is particularly notable because the time frame for cutting and watering is short and every farmer struggles to do it all in time, yet they sacrificed their own deadlines to show support and love. Each swather was adorned with a vinyl cut out of Jeremy's initials. It was amazing! Great job to Mike & LeeAnn Adams and also Alan Adams for getting us all together."
Coincidentally, a Fox13 News crew were in Parowan that morning on a separate story. When they heard about the tribute, they rushed down to the Barton farm and by the evening news they had created this brief piece.
I am grateful to have married into a family with such goodness, love and charity in their hearts.
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