Obituary of John Charlton Barth

John Charlton Barth, Sr., 98, of Macungie, PA, died on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at Mosser Nursing Home in Trexlertown, PA. Born in Kearny, NJ, John grew up in Hillside and enlisted in the United States Navy in 1936. It was the beginning of a storied 24 year career in the Navy where he served aboard multiple ships in various capacities. During WWII he served in North Africa, France and Italy, and later retired as a Lieutenant Commander in 1960 after piloting blimps for the Early Warning Squadron out of Lakehurst, NJ. He also served in the search for missing pilot Amelia Earhart. After his military career, John worked for the State of NJ as a Chief of Safety Inspections until his retirement in 1983. He and his late wife, Myra, settled to Florida and they traveled the U.S., Europe, South Pacific, South America and Caribbean extensively. John was a 60 year member of the Masonic Order, a Shriner, a volunteer fireman, and was active in the Lutheran Church. He was proud of his volunteer services with the Boy Scouts of America where he served as a Scout leader, on National Committees, and was bestowed the Silver Beaver award from the Ocean County BSA Council, the highest volunteer award. Predeceased by his wife of 69 years, Myra; son, John C. Jr.; sisters, Lillian and Marion Weiman; and great grandson, Jay Chabrak, Jr. Surviving are his daughter, Beverly Dress and husband Philip of Macungie, PA and brother, William Barth Jr. of Virginia Beach. Also surviving are four grandchildren; Dawn (Alex) Fritz of Peachtree City, GA; Lisa (Anthony) Ferraro of Alburtis, PA; Donald (Lisa) Dress and Lori (Jay) Chabrak, both of South Plainfield, NJ; and eight Great Grandchildren; Noah and Ryan Fritz, River and Caylee Dress, Emma and AJ Ferraro, and John and Lucy Chabrak. Interment services will be held privately under the direction of the McCriskin- Gustafson Home for Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ, 07080. Memorial donations in his memory may be made to the USO at www.uso.org or by mail to P.O. Box 96860, Washington, DC 20077-7677.