Francis Leo Barton, 87, of rural Elmwood died Friday morning on May 5, 2023, at OSF in Peoria. He was born May 5, 1936, in Kewanee, the first son of Emery and Lorene (O’Neill) Barton. He grew up in the farming community of Snareville, north of Wyoming in Stark County. He graduated from Wyoming High School in 1954. He attended the University of Illinois where he was a member of the Nabor House fraternity and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Husbandry. He married Vivian ‘Joan’ Bacher on August 16, 1958, at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Peoria; she survives.
Also surviving are three sons, Bernard, Barry (Gilda), and John (Marion), all of Elmwood; one daughter, Monica Eichelkraut of Chelsea, Maine; four grandchildren, Joel Eichelkraut, Adam Eichelkraut, Amber Massey, and Linda Gorski; and seven great-grandchildren.
In 1961, Francis moved the family to Elmwood, Joan’s hometown. He worked in insurance and real estate and worked for Caterpillar while building an agribusiness. As he grew, he left “working for the other guy” behind. He formed Ill-Mo Farms, farming in both states, and was among the first in farming to incorporate, and won multiple yield contests from the National Corn Growers Association. He was always willing to experiment with new farming methods. In the 1990s, he formed Bar-Roe Farms with David Roehrs. They were farming about 2,000 acres in Peoria and Knox counties at the time of his death.
Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at Oaks-Hines Funeral Home in Elmwood. A funeral Mass will then be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Elmwood. Father Jim Pankiewicz will be officiating. Burial services will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery following the Mass.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
To leave online condolences, please visit www.oakshinesfuneralhome.com
Oaks-Hines Funeral Home and Crematory in Elmwood is in charge of arrangements.
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