Cover photo for Matthew Erford Barrick's Obituary
Matthew Erford Barrick Profile Photo
1963 Matthew 2021

Matthew Erford Barrick

August 1, 1963 — April 19, 2021

Bishop, GA

Matthew Erford Barrick, longtime resident of Athens and most recently of Bishop, Georgia, passed away on Monday, April 19, 2021 after a brief illness.  Born in Athens, Georgia on August 1, 1963, he was 57 at the time of his death.  Matthew was the son of the late Dr. Raymond Erford Barrick and Frances Shine Barrick.

Matthew started working as a teenager, often working several jobs at a time.  He was employed by Carroll’s Engine Rebuilders, Beechwood Lanes, Gene’s Small Engine Repair, Athens Italian Restaurant, and 5-Points Sub & Steak Sandwich Shop.  He was always a dependable, hard worker.

Matthew had a heart of gold, which is probably why God chose him to care for our mother for many years.  He would bring her flowers regularly and make sure she was well taken care of.  All of the siblings knew our mother was in good hands with Matthew caring for her. He also cared for and wanted to be there for others in the family who were ill… our father, our grandmother, our grandfather, and even our step-grandfather.

Matthew was very bright. He was a people person, a giver, compassionate, thoughtful, and talented.  He never met a stranger.

Gifted with many talents, Matt was adept at working on engines, and he had mastered many crafts.  He taught himself woodworking, copper and stained glass artisanry, and he even made clay sculptures using the clay from the creek in our backyard.  He was a one-handed pool shark, loving the game taught to him and the other grandchildren by Grandpa Shine; but for some reason playing with one hand was Matt’s thing, and he did it well.  He was an awesome cook, known for his amazing Italian dishes and his Christmas punch.

Matt was such a giver.  He would give anyone the shirt off his back and any money he had. He may have looked rough around the edges, but people never seemed to notice.  He talked to everyone, and everyone who knew him liked him.  He was genuine and real, no facades.

Many other wonderful qualities set Matt apart. He was a keen observer of people, although many may not know this about him. If you lived in Athens, you knew Matthew and his green Ford Ranger truck with flags flying on it.  His iconic truck inspired the university’s Black and Red newspaper to write an article about him.

Matt wanted to do everything like his Grandpa Shine.  He loved his family more than anything.  From our family in West Virginia to our family in Athens, from grandparents, parents, and siblings to aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, Matthew always said we should live in one big house so we could be close and take care of each other.

To know him was to love him.

Matthew was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Raymond Barrick; his mother, Frances Barrick; his older brother, Paul Barrick; and a sister-in-law, Pamela (Josef) Barrick.

Survivors include four siblings:  Josef Barrick (Silvia) of Flowery Branch; David Barrick (Deanna) of Athens; Rev. Daniel Barrick (Maria) of Kings Mountain, NC; Raechel Crumley (Steve) of Cleveland, TN; sister-in-law Tina Barrick of Monroe, GA; his step-mother, Dr. Eleanor Barrick of Ooltewah, TN; and a myriad of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins, among whom is Steven, aka Ronnie, Shine of Fairmount, WVA, a very special cousin. Nieces and nephews: Josef, Elizabeth, Paul, Lilly, Lauren, Riley, Dustin, Connor.

Funeral services will be Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 3:00 PM at Lord and Stephens, West, Jimmy Daniel Road. Interment will follow at Athens Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends Thursday from 1:00 until 3:00 pm at the funeral home.

Lord and Stephens Funeral Home, WEST, Watkinsville, is in charge of arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Matthew Erford Barrick, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Thursday, April 29, 2021

1:00 - 3:00 pm (Eastern time)

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Funeral Service

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Starts at 3:00 pm (Eastern time)

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Interment

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Guestbook

Visits: 14

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Send Flowers

Send Flowers

Plant A Tree

Plant A Tree