Tina Oliver Barton

Tina Oliver Barton passed away February 18, 2015 at her home in Big Sky, Montana surrounded by her loving family. She was born December 6, 1966 in Bloomington, Illinois to Robert and Marilyn (Able) Oliver. Tina was raised and graduated high school in El Paso, Illinois. After high school she attended Illinois Wesleyan University where she received degrees in Elementary Education and French. During college, from 1987-89, she taught Art at Mulberry School in Bloomington, IL. Following college, she moved to Big Sky, Montana to revisit where her family had vacationed while growing up. She was only planning on staying a short period of time, but she met Kevin Barton and lived there the rest of her life. The couple married on September 5, 1992 in El Paso, Illinois. In 1993 Tina and Kevin bought Mountain View Mercantile in Big Sky. After the birth of her daughter, Julia, Tina began her career in Real Estate, ultimately working as Broker for ERA Landmark Realty. Tina also co-founded Juju Skirts, a clothing company using recycled T-shirts. She had a passion for cooking, leading her to audition for the TV cooking show, Master Chef. Her favorite holiday tradition was to cook Christmas Eve dinner for her family. Tina’s family often extended well beyond bloodlines. Just this past Christmas she fed over 20 people her signature seafood bisque, Beef Wellington and all of the trimmings. She enjoyed art, photography, and travelling, especially to Mexico. She had a love for the outdoors, especially for beaches and boating. She enjoyed collecting and selling antiques. She was an avid Chicago Bears fan and a passionate supporter of Julia in all of her events. Those who knew Tina knew her as a most genuine, generous and warm-hearted person. She never met a stranger and exuded warmth, charm and a wry sense of humor. Her creative nature is visible throughout her dream home, which she helped design and build. She will be missed by her cat Roxy and her dog Happy. Tina was preceded in death by her father, Robert Oliver. She is survived by: her husband, Kevin; daughter, Julia; mother, Marilyn; brother, Donald; mother-in-law, Connie; and many other extended family members and friends. Memorials may be made in Tina’s name to the Bozeman Deaconess Cancer Center, 931 Highland Blvd., Suite 3200, Bozeman, MT 59715. There is also a Tina Barton memorial fund set up at First Security Bank in Big Sky, all proceeds going to the BDH Cancer Center. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday February 28, 2015 at the Big Sky Chapel followed by a reception at Buck’s T4.