Obituary (January 01, 2010)

Charlie Barron, who was one of the early distribution executives present at the birth of the McKerlie-Millen organization, passed away at the Brantford General Hospital in Brantford, Ont., on Monday, December 21. He was 76.

“He was the warehouse manager of McKerlie-Millen, which was then AWL Steego in Stoney Creek from the early 1960s to 1972,” says nephew Bob Barron, now a marketing executive with Carquest in Raleigh, N.C.

“Charlie had grown up around the business. In 1973 he moved to London and was the manager there until he retired in 1998.

“He was a quiet guy but a real people person. He was also very organized and we really marvelled at how efficiently he ran the warehouse.”

An avid hockey player, he was instrumental in organizing employee hockey outings.

Barron was the beloved husband of Elizabeth (Betty) Plant; loving father of Gregory (Shona) of Racine, Wisconsin; Carolyn (Frank) Boerboom of Brantford; Catherine (Darryl) Gilpin of Burlington; Aileen Barron of Simcoe; and Claire (Chris) Black of Maple Ridge, B.C. Cherished grandfather of Adam, Sean and Laura Barron; Sarah and Jennifer Gilpin; Ryan and Cameron Boerboom; Andrew, Zoe and Keagan Black. Dear brother of Betty Murray and her late husband Joseph of Brantford; Patricia (Don) Peacock of Simcoe. Predeceased by his sister Mary Maus (Orin), Thomas Barron (Mary), Helen Barron, Kathleen McGrath (Charles), Bernard Barron (Patricia). Brother-in-law of Isobel Plant of Brantford and Cathy Plant of London. Predeceased by brother-in-law Jack (Doris) Plant and James Plant.