Merton Hughes Barrett

Barrett, Merton Hughes, 86, of St. Petersburg, died Sunday January 2, 2005 at Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bay Pines, FL. Born in Dallas, TX, he lived in Waco, TX until the age of seven when he moved to Chicago, IL. He graduated from North Park Junior College in Chicago in 1937 with a Music degree. He attended the University of FL at Gainesville. He was a U.S. Army Master Staff Sergeant, WWII veteran, and passed air pilot training at Chanute Field, IL before transferring to MacDill Field, when it opened in 1940. With the arrival of huge bombers, because he was underweight, he was not permitted to fly. Because of his music experience, he was also appointed choir director and soloist for the MacDill Field Chapel. He was later sent to France where he trained in Codes and Messages and had the privilege of personally delivering the message to General Eisenhower, near Paris, that WWII was officially over. He came to St. Petersburg in 1945 from Chicago, IL and retired as a manager for a freight company in St. Petersburg. He played many roles in the St. Petersburg Little Theater, designed and built stage sets, and helped raise fund for the current Little Theater Building. He was a member of the St. Petersburg Downtown Exchange Club where he held many offices and started the first speech contest for boys. He chaired many fund raising dances for shoes for needy children at the Coliseum in the 1950?s. He won many awards for service to the community. He was an avid barbershop harmony singer and a charter member and past president of the St. Petersburg Sunshine City Chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America SPEBSQSA. During his 58 years of active membership, he sang competitively with many quartets and choruses, and appeared annually at Bayfront?s Mahaffey Theater. He was the last surviving charter member of the group. He was of the Baptist faith. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Nancye Thompson Barrett; three sons: Steve C., and accountant in Clearwater; Allen M., and attorney in St. Petersburg; and Mark E., Vista, CA; and seven grandchildren:Chantell, Christopher, Michael, John, Thomas, Annie, and Josh Barrett. Anderson-McQueen Funeral & Cremation Centers- N.E. St. Petersburg