Brian Barnhart

Brian Barnhart, 62, of Butler, died Wednesday, July 10, 2019 at Sunnyview Nursing Home in Butler with his girlfriend, Amy Cannard, at his side following a brief battle with malignant melanoma.

Brian was born on February 25, 1957 in Pittsburgh.  He was the oldest of five children born to the late Raymond and Rita Knoll Barnart.

Brian graduated from high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma 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, Alabama and later for Oracle in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Here in Butler, he worked at Adtheorent as a computer programmer and analyst, and finally in the Online Grocery Delivery Dept. 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 Theater 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.

A graveside service will be held at Noon on Sunday, July 14, 2019 at St. Mary Cemetery in Brady’s Bend.  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.  Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Hile Funeral Home of Chicora.  Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.hilefh.com.

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