William E. Barton III of Paw Paw, Michigan went to be with Jesus on May 11, 2026, escaping the hold cancer had on him, excited about eternity, and hopeful that there would be free golf in heaven. 

Bill was born on November 8, 1964 to the late Carol (Hendrichsen) Barton and William Barton, Jr. Bill married his best friend, Diane (Koehl) Barton on August 8, 1999 and they spent 26 years having the greatest fun traveling, being with friends, and enjoying their children and darling grandchildren who brought Papa much joy. 

Bill and Diane enjoyed spending much time diving in Bonaire where they saw God's miraculous creation. They also loved spending time in Mexico joined by their best friends and family. 

Bill loved to exercise his mind and body building and remodeling homes or doing anything else people needed improved. You never wanted to pay him by the hour because he was a craftsman and he claimed that he did things right and what he built should last three hundred years (although, we won't be around to confirm that this was true, but you didn't argue with him!) How much he earned wasn't important; it was the pride in doing a job well for people he loved. 

The last season of his life, he worked as an HVAC installer for Bartholomew Heating & Cooling working with people that treated him like family and had work standards that aligned with his. 

Bill leaves behind his super-in-love-with-him wife, Diane, and four daughters Betsy (Dustin) Barrett, Becky (Rass) Pederson, Jessica Barton, and Abigail Johnson as well as his favorite grandchildren: Jayse and Logan Barrett, and Kennedy, Auggie, and Elaine Johnson. Also surviving are his father, William Barton, Jr, his brother Jeff (Dee) Wyman, his sister Sherry (Chris) Hindmarsh, his brother David (Beth) Solms, sister Michelle Barton and sisters-in-law Lynette (Doug) Wyman and Leslie (Paul) Barton.

 A memorial service will be held on June 7 at 2:30 pm at New Hope Family Church, 201 W. Michigan Avenue, Paw Paw, MI. A dessert reception will follow because he loved desserts, not vegetables. 

In lieu of flowers, Bill asks donations be made to Wings Home, 330 Linn Street, Allegan MI. The Wings Home is a 4-bedroom home where people in any hospice can spend their last days on earth being cared for well at no charge. The home exists solely on donations and ensures no one dies alone. 

Bill loved you all and shed many tears because he felt so much love and prayers, not because he was dying; you filled his heart!