Barkus

Kristopher Austin “Kit” Barkus, 25, of Butler passed away Friday evening at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Born in Pittsburgh on Dec. 26, 1988, he was the son of Robert R. and Pamela Hemphill Barkus Jr.

A 2007 graduate of Butler High School, he attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he was on the dean's list. He then studied philosophy at York College of Pennsylvania and finally studied psychology and tutored at Butler County Community College, where he was invited to join Phi Theta Kappa.

A gifted musician, he was an exceptionally bright individual with a love of music, beginning with the trumpet and most recently guitar, with which he won the Louis Armstrong Award. Kit was an avid composer, lyricist and master of the Hook Line. He recorded many of his songs, sharing CDs with family and friends.

Very sports oriented, he was talented in baseball, tennis, golf and swimming.

He was a member of the Hill United Presbyterian Church.

Surviving are his parents, Robert and Pamela Barkus Jr. of Butler; his sister, Alison Renee Roperti and her husband, David, of York; his brother, Robert R. Barkus and his fiancee, Stephanie Kraus, of Butler; his niece, Anna Grace Roperti and his nephew, Nicholas Wallace Roperti; his paternal grandmother, Mary Barkus of Mars; his maternal grandparents, Dr. Richard W. and Peggy Ann Parris Hemphill, M.D., of Fox Chapel; and his many loving aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Robert R. Barkus.

Barkus— The friends of Kristopher Austin “Kit” Barkus, who passed away Friday, June 6, 2014, will be received at the McDonald-Aeberli Funeral Home, 238 Crowe Ave., Mars, from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday.Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Clark Sawyer, his pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Mars Cemetery, Adams Township.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Kristopher “Kit” Barkus Memorial Fund, in care of Robert Barkus Jr., 134 September Drive, Butler, PA 16002, for the purpose of establishing a music scholarship fund in his memory.Directions and condolences are available at www.mcdonald-aeberli.com.