Barney Lee Halliburton
Barney Lee Halliburton, 86, died Feb. 6, 2012. He was born in Cherokee on Oct. 1, 1925, to Byron Lavender Halliburton and Mabel Pauline Ash.
He was a well-known carpenter in the Llano area and a huge supporter of local baseball.
He served in the Navy 1943-1946 as an aviation machinist’s mate, third class, at Ford Island Naval Air Station in Pearl Harbor. After an honorable discharge in April 1946, he returned to Llano, where he met Imogene (Jean) Ahrlett. They were married on Sept. 7, 1946. The couple lived in the house he built for her until her death in December 2011.
While raising three children, he enjoyed hunting, fishing and baseball. His children remember summer days swimming at the Blue Hole and jumping from their father’s shoulders into the water. Other fond childhood memories include being danced around by him on his old work shoes after he came in from work.
He, his brother Joe Bob and, later, his son formed Halliburton Brothers Construction and built many homes in the Llano area. He was known for his meticulous attention to detail and solid construction. While he might have retired from his business, he never stopped working. From fishing shacks to restoring 100-year-old log cabins, he was always ready for a building project.
However, he was happiest in a boat checking trot lines, playing a good game of dominoes or watching kids play ball. He loved everything about baseball, from coaching to watching games on TV. He and his brother, along with many other volunteers, built the baseball field on the north side of Llano, now christened Barney Lee Field, so kids would have a place to play ball.
Survivors include daughters Brenda and Ronnie Brewer, and Janice and Jim Bob Moore; son Gary Halliburton; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by brother and best friend Joe Bob; and his parents.
A memorial service with military honors is 10 a.m. Feb. 11 at Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Homes, 307 E. Sandstone in Llano, (325) 247-4300.
The family requests memorials be made to the Llano Little League.
Condolences may be sent to whhfuneral1@verizon.net or made at www.whhfuneralhome.com.