Wilarlie Knight Barto

Wilarlie Knight Barto, 98, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

She was the daughter of the late Alma and Wilson Knight and was also preceded in death by her husband, Eugene Barto and brother, Kenneth Knight.

Wilarlie was born February 17, 1927, and grew up in Nashville, TN. She was an active member and officer of the Nashville District Methodist Youth Fellowship and a proud 1944 graduate of Howard High School. She remained active in alumni reunions through 2019. She worked in banking for several years and there met her future husband, Gene Barto. They married in 1949 and had two daughters, Becky and Debby.

In 1960 they relocated to Huntsville, AL, and Wilarlie quickly became involved in a variety of community organizations. She was a founding member of Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater and remained an active Board member for several decades. She organized publicity, ticket sales, newsletters, and alumni activities for the theater in addition to sewing hundreds of costumes. She was an active leader in every school and extracurricular activity that her daughters were a part of, from PTA to Band Parent Organizations. She later became involved in the Broadway Theater League and eventually took over season ticket sales and coordinating volunteer ushers.

She was a volunteer for the Adult Learning Center, the Arts Council, and Friends of the Library, in addition to service and leadership roles at Valley United Methodist Church. Wilarlie spent decades researching family history and valued the many connections with cousins and relatives that she discovered. She found great joy in the Huntsville Altrusa Service Club, ultimately serving as District Governor and traveling widely to International Conventions with her fellow Altusans.

In 2007, Wilarlie moved to Dalton, GA, to be near her daughters and grandchildren. She enjoyed watching them grow up and supporting their activities. She faithfully attended First Baptist Church and her ladies’ Sunday School Class.

In 2020, Wilarlie moved into assisted living at the Gardens and later transitioned to Quinton Memorial Healthcare. The family would like to thank the staff of those facilities and her many caregivers over the past several years for their support and care of Wilarlie.

Wilarlie is survived by her daughters, Becky Jewell (Alan) and Debby Barto and grandchildren, Katie Beth Jewell (Judson Rose) and David Jewell.

The family will receive friends in Dalton, GA from 2 until 4 PM on Thursday in the Atrium of First Baptist Church of Dalton.

The family will receive friends in Huntsville, AL, from 11:30-12:30 on Sunday at Laughlin Service Funeral Home.

A graveside service will follow at 1:00 PM in Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, AL.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Dalton, Valley United Methodist Church of Huntsville, or to Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater and Academy in Huntsville.

Click Here to Donate to First Baptist Church of Dalton

Click Here to Donate to Valley United Methodist Church, Huntsville

Click Here to Donate to Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater, Huntsville