Leo Emmett Barlow

Leo Emmett Barlow died peacefully on the morning of March 22, 2020, in his home in Casper, Wyoming, one minute after his 53rd Wedding Anniversary date. He was 80 years old.

Leo Emmett was born in Wichita, Kansas, to Morgan and Julia (Gaughen) Barlow. He was the youngest of 9 children. He always disliked any fuss on birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays and always had the response of, "It's just another day," to which his children often affectionately teased him and each other with and they are considering adding it to his headstone. After he attended high school in Derby, Kansas he joined the Navy Reserves as a Sea Bee and was assigned to the Antarctic Operation Deep Freeze in 1961-1962. After the Navy, he began his lifelong career as a truck driver working for a couple different companies but was mostly self-employed and mostly hauled wheat. He met his wife, Soledad (Chole) Martinez, and married on March 21, 1967; they had 4 children together. They moved from Derby, Kansas to South Haven, Kansas in 1971 to raise their family and remained there until 1987 after their youngest graduated from high school then they moved to Casper, Wyoming following his job with Salt Creek Welding. They returned to Wichita, Kansas in 1996 where he started working for Ritchie Brothers as a field diesel mechanic for several years. Upon his retirement in 2004 they returned to Casper, Wyoming to live with their daughter and her family. They became snowbirds and traveled to Texas during the long winter months staying with their oldest son until he could no longer travel.

Leo Emmett was a kind, sweet, hardworking man. He loved to watch and support his children's sports and activities as much as possible when they were growing up and continued that love with his grandchildren whenever he could. His arthritis took a toll on his body and caused him lots of pain and discomfort over the last 30 years of his life making it difficult to work and do the things he enjoyed but he mostly enjoyed "tinkering around the farm" as his wife would often call it at their home with their daughter in Casper. He kept their property mowed beautifully and weeded for years while giving the different grandchildren rides on the mower. He kept the mowers in perfect condition and he enjoyed helping his son-in-law by working on the farm tractors and equipment and sometimes the dreaded job of keeping the irrigation pivots going and keeping the cows in where they belonged. He worked hard even when he could barely walk anymore. He never knew the meaning of quitting or giving up which would often bother his wife as she knew there was always a price to pay when he over worked himself on the farm. His presence will forever be missed on that farm and it will continue to be painfully evident the landscaping will never be as good as he kept it through the years of tinkering around on the farm after retirement.

Leo had 4 children and 20 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He is survived by his sons, John Barlow (Lupita) of Floresville, Texas; Thomas Barlow (Chimene) of Beaverton, Oregon; Ted Barlow (Michele) of Wichita, Kansas; and his daughter, Carmen Baldwin (Delane) of Casper, Wyoming. He is also survived by his sister, Connie Dinda of Spring Hill, Florida and his brother Morgan "Junior" Barlow of Bartlesville, Oklahoma along with numerous nieces and nephews. He is proceeded in death by his parents, Morgan and Julia Barlow; his brothers, Reggie Barlow, Michael Barlow, Vincent Barlow, Daniel Barlow; his sisters, Pattie Breth and Maryellen Ziarnik, and grandbaby Baldwin.

No public services will be held at this time due to current gathering restrictions. The family will have a graveside service with Military honors in Derby, Kansas as soon as travel and quarantine restrictions allow.

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