Richard Barron

Richard Paul Barron, born Richard Paul Jones, better known as Skipper "Skip" Barron, 77, finally succumbed to his many illnesses (COPD, Chronic Kidney Disease, Congestive Heart Failure and Diabetes) on Thursday June 30, 2017, at 3:53pm. All not without a fight and many...many...many years of bitching and complaining.

Skip was born to Thomas and Emma Jones, in Norristown PA on December 18, 1939. He was the 2nd to the youngest of 17 children. His father passed away shortly after leaving the family almost destitute. The older children left to find work and the younger children where taken from the home, in the hopes of adoption. Skip was adopted, by Michael and Elizabeth Barron. He was wearing a little sailor/skipper outfit, and so his nickname was created. The Barron's also adopted John and George, all 3 boys of separate families. Skip spent most of his life searching for his family, even though he loved and appreciated the Barron's. To acknowledge how much he loved them, during his Senior year of high school he legally changed his last name from Jones to Barron.

Skip was an outgoing boy and loved growing up in and around Phoenixville & Spring City. He was tall and skinny, gaining a 2nd nickname, Bonesy Jonesy.

During his Senior year (1958) at Bishop Kenrick, in Norristown, the school was having new sidewalks installed. Skip, being the true smart ass he was, carved in the wet cement, a VERY DEROGATORY statement regarding one of his least favorite nuns. Skip was immediately caught, as the nun watched him do it. Caught "red handed".

Skip enlisted in the Navy in 1959 (until 1963). His tours took him to Italy and Greece, as well as many other countries. In Sicily, he toured the catacombs and told of seeing Rosalia Lombardo's mummy. He drank OUZO in Greece and danced on tables. He even dared to jump from his ship, the USS POCONO, into the oceans with the swimming sharks.

After serving his country, he returned home to be with his true love, the one who truly annoyed him the most, his wife, Margaret Mary Louise McLaughlin Barron, aka Mary Lou, Maggie or THE MAGSTER.

They married on January 13, 1962. To the day Skip died, he carried his wedding album with him, showing ALL HIS NURSES, ALL THE AIDS AND HOUSEKEEPING ATTENDANTS....anybody really. He loved when they told him how handsome he was and how beautiful his wife was and what a beautiful wedding they had.

Skip and Mary Lou went onto have 7 children, whom he loved dearly, but also had no problem telling off or taking his belt off to give a whopping; Kathleen Kreibel, companion of David Trumbore of Hereford, PA. Aileen Gordon, companion of Michael Schaffer of Schuylkill Township PA. Paul Barron of Reading, PA. Patrick Barron, passed away in 1982 at the age of 16. Cara Barron, passed away in 2008 at the age of 38. Celine Nace, wife of Paxton Scott Nace of East Greenville, PA. Michael Barron, husband of Lisa Barron, of Henderson NV.

Skip loved his kids, but it was a well known fact, he seemed to love his grandchildren more. All 14 grandchildren (Leah Yizzi, Caitlyn Giacomucci, Aubrey Kreibel, Brenna Kreibel, Rachel Casey, Sarah Gordon, Elise Licata , Hali Barron, Andrew Barron, Zachary Jacob, Barron Strouse, Ronan Strouse, Tyson Barron & Teagan Barron) and 3 great-grand children (Kailee Yizzi, Jordan Yizzi and Angelo Yizzi). Most likely because he didn't have to live with them. He was referred to as Big Pop-Pop, Pop-Pop or just Pop. The one thing that ALWAYS MADE HIM SMILE and laugh was to see or just hear a story about his grandchildren. He truly was a good Pop-Pop.

Skipper was not handy in any way shape or form. If it had to be fixed, anybody else had a better shot at fixing it then him. His tools of choice were duct tape and a butter knife. He loved big, junky cars. The bigger, the better. If it was half falling apart...he bought it. He loved cooking on the grill, but wasn't skilled at it. Many times people ran out of the house in fear that he was going to catch the deck on fire. He loved making his family meals and sometimes it was a steak dinner, sometimes it was hot dogs and raviolis. Skip was a Eagles fan, but got discouraged over the years, and threw one too many shoes at the TV during a losing game. He switched his attention to the Phillies. He NEVER missed a game. Skip was a Chocoholic, candy freak and avid junk food conisour. You would hear candy wraps crunching under his covers in his hospital bed. He had secret stashes hidden in specific drawers in every one of his hospital rooms. He would call you up, tell you what you were buying, how to sneak it in and where to hide it. He would get busted, his stash confiscated...but it never stopped him.

Skipper loved the beach. Many years summer vacations were spent in Brigantine and then Sea Isle City. Once he rented a huge beach house for all his kids and grandkids, in Sea Isle City. It was a fun, fight filled...caotic week.

Skip was in a serious car accident in . He was taking his youngest daughter, Celine, to class at WCU. Her car was in the shop and he was taking her to class and to work. He did things for people, kind and helpful, always. His larynx was paralyzed (changed his voice forever), several ribs crushed, hip broken and his aorta was torn, causing massive internal bleeding. By the grace of God, he survived. His smoking of 5 packs of cigarettes a day (he had quit by then) caused severe scars on his lungs. The blood "pooled", if not he would have drowned in his own blood. The doctors were able to sew him back up...and he had months and months of severe rehabilitation. He was so strong.

Skip would curse you out in a second. He just had that way about him...mostly. He would say no, to almost everything you asked of him, but then he would give or do. He was a crumudgun.

He got to see his 50th wedding anniversary. Him and Mary Lou's 70th bdays. All his children and grandchildren births....and he was ALWAYS THE FIRST PERSON AT THE HOSPITAL to see the babies. He LOVED BABIES. He loved to hold them, feed them, get them to sleep...even sooth them. Once they could talk and sass...that's when he wasn't as "interested".

He went to Grandparents Day. He gave Christmas cards with a lil bit of money to each grandchild. He may remember your birthday, he may forget, but it was never intentional. He just had too many GD birthdays to remember.

Skip was a good man, good dad, BETTER Pop-Pop and a horrible patient (per most nurses he gave the business to). He did however warm up and calm down, and was mourned by the nurses that took care of him. He LIVED to give people the business.

Skip's family had a private family viewing this past Saturday July 1, 2017. He was cremated and will be buried at a later date with his wife upon her passing.

He will be missed because he was loved so much.