Sylvester Louis Barron Jr. (USNR) passed away April 1, 2015, in Bellingham, Wash. Sylvester was born Oct. 5, 1950, in Washington, D.C., to Sylvester Barron Sr. and Ramona Pearl Barron. He was married to Gail Barron.
Sylvester attended primary and secondary schools in Washington, D.C., where he also worked at Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone prior to joining the Navy in 1972. Achievements and awards while in service included Sailor of the Year in 1978 and earning his Bachelor of Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and his radio-telephone operator FCC license in 1995.
He served in the Navy as a quality assurance officer during the Gulf War, made chief in 1980 and was an E-7 for 16 of his 24 years of service.
Sylvester worked as an electrical installer at Boeing following retirement from the Navy in 1996. He attended First Baptist Church of Oak Harbor and Oak Harbor Southern Baptist Church. He enjoyed coaching youth football and basketball in Oak Harbor and Coupeville, playing poker, playing pool, flying planes earlier in his life and telling stories to his grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Gail Barron; his children, Sylvester Louis Barron III, Sean Michael Barron and wife Kristin Barron, Devyn Nicole Nixon and husband Matthew Bernard Nixon II, and Samuel Ian Anthony Barron; grandchildren Sylvester Louis Barron IV, Moriah Laine Nixon, Diondre LaMont Barron, Carmen Jane, Matthew Nixon III, Tatyanna Barron, Marcus Benjamin Nixon, Neraeah Barron, Jaydn Barron, Malachi Barron, Ava Z Barron, Samuel Isaiah Alexander Barron, Simeon Barron, Samarah Barron, Eliana Abigail Barron and Charles James; brother Gregory Author Adrian Barron and wife Bonita Barron; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Sylvester was preceded in death by his daughter, Zenovia Candis Barron, and sister Pamela Barron.
The family would like to thank Skagit Valley Hospital, Hospice of the Northwest, Whatcom Hospice, Oak Harbor Southern Baptist Church, Living Faith Christian Center and Maranatha Seventh Day Adventist Church in Atlanta. A viewing for Sylvester Louis Barron Jr. will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11, 2015, at Burley Funeral Chapel in Oak Harbor, with a funeral service held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 11, 2015, at the Oak Harbor Southern Baptist Church and a graveside service following at Sunnyside Cemetery in Coupeville.