Rev. Dr. David L. Barrett Sr.

He was born January 12, 1935, in Englewood, N.J., a son of the late Erna Heldon and Harold P. Barrett.

He graduated form Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood in 1952, and was employed with Aluminum Company of America ( ALCOA) until 1954 when he was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving in Tulle, France. It was during his enlistment that he first received the calling of God.

Upon his discharge, he enrolled at Barrington College in Providence, RI, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history in 1961. While enrolled there, he met his wife, Carole Nichols Barrett. They were married in December of 1958.

After graduation from Barrington, he enrolled at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pa. graduating in 1964; he was ordained to the Gospel ministry of the Presbyterian Church USA. He served as assistant youth pastor at Hebron United Presbyterian Church in Penn Hills from 1964 to 1967; he served as pastor of Reed Memorial United Presbyterian Church in Lyndhurst, N.J. from 1967 to 1970; and he served associate pastor of Beverly Heights United Presbyterian Church in Mt. Lebanon from 1970 to 1975.

In June of 1975 he accepted the position of pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Waynesburg, where he remained until his retirement in 2000.

In 1989, he was awarded and Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Waynesburg College. He is a past president of the Waynesburg Ministerium, and served on numerous boards, including: chairman of the Salvation Army, Waynesburg Service Unit for 15 years; American Red Cross; American Cancer Society; Try-Again Homes; Habitat for Humanity; and Greene County Association for Retarded Citizens.

In the Presbytery of Washington, he served on the Evangelism Committee, Committee on Ministry, Personnel Committee, Committee on Preparation for Ministry, and on the Synod Evangelism Committee in New Jersey.

He was involved in numerous committees for church crusades and rallies. He participated in various community charities and fundraisers, and spent much of his time visiting sick and elderly members of the community.

In addition to the numerous missionaries and religious dignitaries that Rev. Barrett welcomed into the First Presbyterian Church of Waynesburg during his time there, he and others traveled extensive in hopes of strengthening the church’s relationship with God. Over the course of two decades, Rev. Barrett and several other congregation member, as well as representatives of other community churches, traveled to various countries, including Mexico, Israel and Russia. He was an avid fan of Pittsburgh sports teams, he loved to travel and he greatly enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

Surviving in addition to his wife are his daughter, Amy L (Barrett) Mackor; two sons, David L. Barrett Jr. and Stephen N. Barrett and wife Crystal; three grandchildren, Melissa Anne Burton and husband Brad, James David Barrett (JD), and Bryson Lewis Barrett. Also surviving are his niece Robin McGill and brother Harold P. Barrett who make their home with them; two brothers, Wilfred Barrett (Lorraine) of Boise, Idaho, and John Barrett of Hamburg, N.J.; and several nieces and nephews.

Deceased in addition to his parents are a brother, Kenneth L. Barrett and a sister Violet McGill.

Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday and 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday at Behm Funeral Homes Inc., 182 West High St., Waynesburg. A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church 169 West College St., Waynesburg at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday January 2, 2012, with Rev. William Sukolsky officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Waynesburg, PO Box 446, Waynesburg, PA 15370.