Happy Birthday Mom, A lot has changed in my life. I know you are proud of the changes I have made. I'm still a work in progress, I am breaking those negative energies that have surrounded us for some time. Your oldest great granddaughter got accepted to one of the colleges she applied for. It's still early for answers from the other ones. I'm so proud of her! I miss being able to talk with you.

Happy Birthday to my lovely , dear friend. Butchie. Always in my heart, love you, Ann

Butchie, I think of you particularly on three occasions a year: New Years Day, your birthday and and on June 7th. Other times cause my heart to smile
; random events or foods (any time I see or talk Okra) or hear someone with a similar accent as yours.  Eight years ago, while sitting at a boat dock waiting for ferry back from Mackinaw Island, I was planning out a trip to visit you the following week, Then Marshawn called me with the terrible news of your passing. (With tears flowing now), I think of how I wish I could have gotten there days earlier and how our conversations the days before had given me hope that you would recover and that I could see you in person to say how much I valued your friendship and how much i loved you. Still holds true today and always.  Ann

Dear Mom,

I miss you so very much. A lot of changes over the past few years. We always kept things mum, but I'm starting to Let It Go!!  I went down the alcohol rabbit hole for a little while. But the survivor me stopped and became awake. I learned how to eat better or what is best for me. When I started my healthy eating journey I initially lost about 60 lbs. Making the decision to stop or limit my drinking has been a blessing for me. And it showed me how people can leave when they don't want you to succeed. I have been learning to love me, give myself compassion and empathy. To believe I am worthy of every positive blessing I am given. I have lost some friends, but perhaps they were never a good friend to begin with. LOL I come here to talk to you because I know others have forgotten this site. It' my connection to you. I'm trying to break the negative feelings and learning that all the negative brainwashing we were given can be turned into Positive thinking. There are days it is a struggle, but I am determined to help my family see how they are enough and valuable to this life. Well Mom, hopefully I will post your passing on the right day. I always put the 6th, cause I sat with you, watched and listened to you go through your life. My heartbreak was when you cried and said: Please don't hurt me, please don't hurt me.  I knew that memory all to well due to that evil man...... Ah life, it truly is what we make of it. I'm seeing so many wonders, wonderful times, humor and joy. Finally!!!! Oh and I truly am loving me, I dance for no reason, sing for no reason, laugh and laugh! Still need work on some of my anger issues, but I meditate and manifest with the believe I will be better.  Love you Mom

Happy Birthday Mom!

That evil man is no longer of this earth, lol wasn't told by his family. Learned about it by Kristi, whom he never acknowledged either of us. Anyway, Miss being able to talk to you, how I am and the kids are growing fast. Grant it I talk to you often. Hope you are with family and celebrating you. We will here on earth, eating enchiladas, trying to find lemon merraingue pie. Love you and miss you!

Always in my heart, especially today. Love you dear lady and treasured friend.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom, it just wasn't the same without you. I didn't feel like doing much of anything. LOL stayed in bed most of the day. The kid's called me all day which was adorable. They called around 2 and told me to come now. I did and I was okay after being with them. We played the WII, of course I lost, but it was fun. Pumpkin cheated, little stink. It was fun. I enjoyed it immensely and glad that I went. I miss you terribly and Grandma Cathy. You both were always in my corner and y'all listen when I needed someone to talk too. Love and Miss you dearly!!!

Butchie, I hope you can see these notes and know how much you are loved. You have left a legacy of a wonderful family and friends who miss you very much. I have so enjoyed getting reconnected with your family...great people, but then what else would I expect?  Happy Birthday, Cousin.

Love, Annette

Happy Birthday Grandma.... it's been a rough few months.... take it easy today mom.

Happy Birthday Butchie, we think of you so very often and still after several months cannot believe you are gone, Mom and I still drive by your house when we are out for a drive. I miss our 10:00pm conversations and you as my friend and the best listener. Love you and miss you very much.

Butchie,
Missed speaking with you over the holidays especially New Years Day. Think of you often and have a hard time not being able to pick up the phone and call whenever I fell like talking with my wonderful friend. I do talk to you, just have to receive the answer in my heart.

Hi, Mom it's a new year. Spent some time with the grand kids yesterday. It's was fun, they are growing so fast. The holidays were okay, just didn't feel it. I miss you dearly, our talks!

I had Mom on my mind all day.  I keep hearing her say "How you" she always seemed to run it all together dropping the "are". As I walk from one building to the next at work and I come upon a person I say "Hello" to in my head I hear her saying "How you"..It makes me smile and I know she is near.

It has taken me a while to put into words what I want to say about my Mom. She taught me so much, but unfortunately never knew how much I valued her wisdom and teachings. My Mom was one of those women who was our pioneers. She faced her first heart ache and disappointment when she was accepted to Texas Tech, yet found out she was pregnant with my brother, which her hopes and dreams of being something were set back, she became instead a mother to my brother then to me. Her teaching was that though we wish for something and it may not come, still hold onto hope. My mother and I are a survivor of domestic violence at the had of my father. To this day he denies ever touching us. My father beat my mother one last time which ended in her being deaf in her right ear for the rest of her life. as I watched my mother fight to stay on this earth she relived her life and came upon that very scary time for her. She cried out for help he is hurting me, all I could do was hold her hand and whisper she was safe. She taught me to survive no matter what. She was one of the first divorcee's in Hobbs NM. I can remember getting into fights because someone talked bad about my mom. She has and always be my"Hero",  I miss my Mom daily, I get angry because I feel bad for letting her go, was I right in stopping treatment or was I wrong, should I have gone against her wishes? No, I did what every good daughter does, obey what their mother ask of them to do. Please leave your thoughts and comments. She deserved so much more in life. One thing is for sure she was rich in friends whom loved her dearly and that I can cherish, her friends have shown me how much she was and is loved. I thank each and every one of you who were there for her. Thank you to my cousin Debra for listening to my rantings and to my step brother Mike for being there to let me lean on. Most of all, thank you to my family, and best friend and her family. Without ya'll I would be a mess. You all are my blessings that I am thankful for each and every day.

I knew Butchie in High school and visited with when we would run into each other after we got out of high school, that is, until both of us moved away from Hobbs and lost our connection with each other. We did get together at the reunions and we were fortune to have some short private conversations. There was not bad or controversial, but our talks were pleasant and after we finished a normal "how are You and what is happening" we talked about the future and our plans. We never told each other that the plans or hope we had were foolish or not worth pursuing. We actual encouraged each other to pursue our plans wished each other the best of success, we talked as old friend and never had a hiatus in our friendship. Please do not get me wrong, we were not in the best friend category, but we always talk and spend a little time with each other when we seen each other. I will miss the talks as they was open and free, which was very rewarding to me and I hope they were to her. May God bless you, her family members, and remember all of us who knew her are praying for his hand to guide you forward and heal your hearts.

It has taken me a while to figure out what i wanted to say. My relationship with my grandmother wasn't that close. We always spoke on the phone and I can count almost on one hand how many times I have actually seen in person. When she became sick she contacted me in an effort to form a relationship and inform me of her decisions . I regret not having the relationship with her that my own mother has with my children, however I thank God and appreciate the little bit of time where I got to know her, learn about her life, and listen to stories of our family. Whenever we talked she seemed to be petting one of her cats and drinking a Dr. Pepper. She was very feisty and always made me laugh, and it tickled her when I told her that she and my daughter Kimora reminded me of fairies because they were so petite.

To my mother:
   I know you are grieving more than anyone else but i want you to know that your not alone and you are stronger than you think you are. This time has been extremely difficult but there are brighter days ahead.We love you very much and cherish all the time we have with you, and in the words of your grandson " eat a piece of candy so you feel better ".

Buddy and I were long time friends of Butchie. We had many things in common but our love for animals was always our first. We will miss her greatly. Prayers to you and your family Marshawn.

I am so sorry to hear about Butchie. I worked with her several years and loved her very much. She will be greatly missed. My prayers are with all of her loved ones.

Dear Family,

We are so sorry to hear about Butchie. I am Butchie's first cousin; her mother Pauline and my mother Irma were sisters. Unfortunately, the family has been pretty spread out so I only was able to see Butchie a couple of times (that I remember -- there was another time when I was a baby) when we would go through New Mexico. My memories of the entire family are that they were all very kind. I remember getting in the car after leaving the house once and my father chuckled saying that Butchie never missed a thing; that she reminded him of a cute little critter whose dark eyes darted around absorbing everything around her.

I am so sorry we lost contact over the years; we go through Joplin sometimes on the way to Kansas, and had I known that Butchie was there we would have visited. Please keep in touch, and our heartfelt sympathy and prayers are with all of you.

Annette

The best way to honor someone who is not with us anymore is to continue living our life and keep their memory alive through everyday events. Butchie would have wanted that, and expected nothing less from all of us.

You're not around, but your memories still remain captured in our hearts. You were like an angel that came and made our lives beautiful, and now that you are in heaven, we know you are doing the same.

God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be. So he put his arms around you and said come to me. Your safe now and without pain.

Thank you for being in my corner, it was great knowing you. Now you are with your family that you lost sometime ago, tell them all hello for us and I feel better knowing that you will be looking over all of us.

I love you Durelle "Butchie" Barton, you left behind an incredible daughter, shes hurting now but i have a team of friends and family who love her and will stand by her side through this.