Joseph Skip Barrett

Joseph “Skip” Barrett, son of Robert and Irma Cook Barrett, was born on March 15, 1934 in Barboursville, West Virginia. Skip moved to Chapin in 1950 with his father and brother, Bobby, to run Murray Lodge Fish Camp. He graduated from Chapin High School in 1952. He then attended Clemson University and completed his education at Marshall University where he played football. Skip’s career at Shur and Company (based in Jacksonville, Florida) involved sales and teaching and took him up and down the East Coast. He retired to his home on Lake Murray in Chapin, South Carolina in 1999.

In December of 1957, Skip and Helen Cooke were married in Huntington, West Virginia. Helen died in July of 1987. They have a daughter, Patty; and a son, Mike (deceased); two grandsons, Simen and Marius, and daughter-in-law, Dorthe (Arnie), who live in Moss, Norway. Skip became a blessing to another family when he married Janelle Turner in November of 1998: step-daughters Wendy Murrah and Nancy Buntyn (Joe); grandsons Trey Harrison (Marissa) and Avery Harrison; granddaughters Meagan Murrah and Christina Buntyn (Richard); and a great grandson, Miles Harrison.

Skip was an avid fan of Clemson sports, but he also enjoyed Carolina games. Skip loved history, reading, and sharing his knowledge with others. After visiting Skip, his grandchildren would often leave with a book (usually hundreds of pages long) or a magazine relevant to their lives. He was known for his tenaciousness, the twinkle in his eye, and his fierce love for and loyalty to his family. He was a longtime member of Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church and St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, both in Chapin.

Special thanks to the members of Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church, as well as to Pastor Ron Philabaum and his wife Ester, for prayers and visits. Memorials may be made to Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church or a charity of choice. A Celebration of Life service will be held this summer (date to be announced) when family from out of town are able to attend.