William "Bill" Barrett

Worcester, VT & Tennessee

William (Bill) Barrett, 99 years, died on Thursday, August 8, 2024 at Central Vermont Medical Center in

Berlin, Vermont. He was born on September 3, 1924, to Maggie and Matt Barrett in Mountain City,

Tennessee.

After his mother died when he was four years old, Bill was taken in and raised by his maternal

grandmother and his mother's brothers and sisters.

Bill was working on a dairy farm in Maryland milking cows in 1941 when he heard FDR's radio

broadcast of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. After the war was declared, Bill moved to Cincinnati, where he

worked in a factory making protective shipping containers for supplies going to Europe for the war effort.

After Bill joined the US Army Air Force, an officer selected him from a line of recruits to be in the Air

Force. In June 1945, Bill sailed to Japan and worked in the Military Police. Bill frequently recounted the

story of being in a typhoon and very sick on that Pacific Ocean trip. A physician was brought aboard to treat

Bill told him, "Son, in five days you would have died without getting treatment."

After returning from Japan, Bill moved to Bristol, Tennessee, near his sister. At her urging, he decided to

stay. It was in Bristol that Bill started selling used cars at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and State

Street. He was a used car dealer for over seventy years.

Besides running his business, Bill enjoyed cultivating large vegetable gardens and giving his produce

away. He also raised cattle until he was 96 years old. He was an active member of his church, and his faith

was an important part of his life.

Bill was preceded in death by Mae (nee Stanley), his wife of 72 years, his sister Mae Howard, his brother

JD Barrett, and his son Larry Barrett.

He is also survived by his son Garry Barrett of Bluff City, TN; his

daughter Janie Kimberley and husband Jay of Worcester, Vermont; daughter-in-law Andrea Barrett and

granddaughter Nicole Barrett of Bristol, TN; granddaughter Michelle and husband John Hilton and

granddaughters Fairy and Lauren Hilton of Greensboro, NC; grandson Tyler and wife Jolin Kimberley and great-grandson Jackson Kimberley of Barre Town, Vermont; grandson Reed Kimberley and great-

grandson William Kimberley-Stridsberg of East Montpelier, Vermont.

Calling hours will be held on Friday evening, August 23, at Weaver's Funeral Home in Bristol, TN from 5

to 6:30 PM. A graveside service will be held at Glenwood Cemetery, 839 Bluff City Highway, in Bristol,

Tennessee on August 24 at 11 AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Christian

Church at 325 Park Worley Street, Bluff City, TN 37618.

Arrangements in Vermont are in the care of Guare and Sons Funeral Home of 30 School Street in Montpelier, VT.

Those wishing to make online condolences may do so at www.guareandsons.com.