Brian Barnhart

Brian Barnhart, 62, of Butler died on Wednesday at Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Butler with his girlfriend, Amy Cannard, at his side following a brief battle with malignant melanoma.

Brian was born on Feb. 25, 1957, in Pittsburgh. He was the oldest of five children, and was the son of the late Raymond and Rita Knoll Barnhart.

Brian graduated from high school in Tulsa, Okla., a year early, and after earning a perfect score on the ACT, had a full scholarship to the University of Tulsa. He then attended the University of Dallas and later went to the University of Cincinnati for his graduate degree in physics.

He first worked as a defense contractor in Huntsville, Ala., and later for Oracle in Colorado Springs, Colo. Here in Butler, he worked at AdTheorent as a computer programmer and analyst, and finally in the online grocery delivery department of Walmart, where he excelled at a new-found talent working with his customers.

He had several lifelong passions. Brian was an accomplished guitarist, arranger and singer, a scientist through and through, and even translated Russian for fun!

He made Butler his home for his last several years and found a loving community of musicians and actors in the Butler Little Theatre and the Hobnob Theatre Co., which he enjoyed with his girlfriend, Amy Cannard, and several local relatives.

Brian is survived by two children, Dani Barnhart of Wisconsin, and Ian Barnhart of Colorado; his mother, Rita Barnhart of Connecticut; his siblings, Eric Barnhart of Colorado, Amy Zabin of Connecticut, Kirk Barnhart of West Virginia, and Myles Barnhart of Colorado; as well as a number of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Brian was preceded in death by his father, Raymond Barnhart.

BARNHART — A graveside service for Brian Barnhart, who died Wednesday, July 10, 2019, will be held at noon Sunday at St. Mary Cemetery in Bradys Bend.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Hile Funeral Home of Chicora.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Brian’s memory to Melanoma Research Foundation at www.melanoma.org, or the Butler Little Theatre, 1 Howard St., Butler, PA 16001.

Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.hilefh.com.