James Weldon Barnett ended his 20-year battle with Lewy Body Dementia and passed into glory at home on Friday night, March 11, 2022.  His wife, Beverly, and daughter, Katrina, were witness to the end of the struggle.  His family and friends rejoice that he has finally entered into his rest.

Weldon entered this world on August 7, 1952 here in Denton, Texas.  Very early on, he had a keen interest in all things mechanical.  As a boy he loved cars and knew that he would be working with machines in some capacity.  His first job was a lawn mower repairman at Harpool Seed as a very young teenager.  After graduating from high school, he attended Cook County Junior College where he learned about welding and machining.

Weldon was a left-handed, dyslexic, Master Mechanic who was fascinated by hydraulics and electrical systems and spent hours studying them. He worked in local dealerships for most of his young life, and in his early 20s began his own business. For ten years, he owned and operated A-1 Automatic Transmissions where his wife Beverly also assisted.

Over the course of his professional career, he switched from being a mechanic to machine work because he admired the craft and the precision it required and wanted to expand his skill and knowledge. Eventually, he settled into a long career as a transmission repair consultant, helping other mechanics repair automatic transmissions while working for ATRA and ATSG.

In all things, Weldon was a perfectionist. In his early 30s, he took up roller skating and honed that skill like he did everything else.  He won a national competition award in figure skating.

Weldon loved his family. He married Beverly in 1984 after a long relationship that began at a Bible study in the early days of Denton Bible Church. His daughter, Katrina, was born in 1987, and his daughter, Dory, was born in 1996. He took his family on adventures in California, Florida, and back to Texas again, according to where his work led him.

Weldon was saved in 1973 and was a faithful follower of Christ. He discipled others in the faith. He served wherever he could in his church and spent years involved in Awana.

Weldon was preceded in death by his parents, Nolan and Inel Barnett, and brother-in-law, Michael Kilpatrick.  He is survived by his wife, Beverly Barnett, and daughters, Katrina and Dory; sister, Joan Kilpatrick; niece, Kelly Kilpatrick-Skelton, her husband, Jay Skelton, and great-nephew, Parker Skelton.

Weldon was an oversized-hat-wearing, flashlight-carrying,  Red Green Show   -  lovin' Texan. He was a good and kind man.  We always knew that something was REALLY funny if he was slappin' his knee…we're going to miss that.

A graveside service will be held at Era Cemetery, 225 Cemetery Rd, Era, TX 76238 at 10:30am Saturday, March 19th.  There will be a luncheon to follow at First Baptist Church, 100 Bolivar Rd. Era, TX 76238.

If you want to know more about Lewy Body Dementia, Weldon's family suggests watching the movie  Robin's   Wish  .  Follow your heart in honoring him…if it's flowers, a donation to Lewy Body research ( https://www.lbda.org/donate/ ), or keeping loved ones in your thoughts and prayers, all will speak love to his family.