Randal "Randy" Barton Booth

On Tuesday, August 17th Randy Barton Booth, loving brother, son, and friend to many, passed away at the age of 41.

Randy was born on January 12th, 1980 in Lakeview Oregon. Randy was nearly born in a 1965 Chevy truck as his Uncle Bart drove as fast as he could from New Pine Creek to Lakeview, trying to get his sister to the hospital in time.

Randy’s early years were spent running amuck with his older brother and many cousins in the farm fields, haystacks, and dirt roads of the cozy farm community West Side Oregon. Randy’s parents, Ellen and Phil, built many wonderful memories by taking Randy and his older brother, Peter, to as many community bake sales, Halloween bazaars, and school programs as they could. A particular Christmas play performed at the local West Side grange hall will forever be memorialized in a family favorite photo of Randy and Peter’s matching holiday attire and matching ear-to-ear grins. With Aunts and Uncles on both sides of the family living in the rural community as well, Randy was always surrounded by an abundant amount of family.  Every year his birthday required two birthday cakes, not just for the sweet tooth, which most certainly he had, but for all the extended cousins, Aunt’s, Uncles, and family that would attend. Family meant the world to Randy, and nothing was more important.

The beautiful wooded mountains of So. Oregon is where Randy would spend much of his childhood.  Hunting and fishing trips were routine with his dad and Uncles. Trail riding horses with his mom, ice fishing, arrowhead hunting, hiking, and camping were a regular occurrence in Randy’s youth. Early in life, Randy grew a love for the outdoors and timber-covered mountains.

Randy grew up playing baseball and ride motorcycles in his later years. In his baseball years, his dad was even his coach on the Elks little league team. His focus and determination eventually brought his talent to the mound, and he was known as a fast and hot-headed pitcher, making batters work for their chance to hit the ball or be hit by it. In his motorcycle years, Randy was known to enjoy going fast and often fearless, even trying his hand at motocross events known as lucky number 13 at Sportsman Park. Randy proved to be an exceptional rider, although his jumping, freestyle riding, and heavy hand on the throttle most certainly made his parent’s hair turn grey a few years too early.

Randy and his brother became known as a hard-working duo and were often seen working together bucking hay bales, cleaning horse stalls, tending chickens, and helping with the various harvest seasons. From a young age, Randy was always willing to go the extra mile to help others. Randy’s heart was large, always ready to pitch in where he could, and never afraid of the hard work that needed to be done. Randy was known to give the very shirt off his back to help someone, even if it meant he would freeze in the cold.

Hard work, grit, and determination became marker’s of Randy’s greatness. He was often proudly covered in unending amounts of grease, dirt, and sawdust.  Randy’s passion was firmly grounded in the greater outdoors, with a life dedicated to many hours of timber work, deep in the forests of Oregon and N. California. On top of spending much of his life as an accomplished timber worker and outdoorsman, he also enjoyed family time, helping in the garden, fishing, crabbing, hunting, motorcycle riding, 4-wheel driving, skateboarding, and juggling. He even tried his hand as an Ice Cream server at BJs ice cream, working alongside his step-sister Andrea, through his high school years in Florence Or. Randy also proved to be the best goofy uncle his brother could ever ask for, often entertaining his nieces and nephews with seemingly unending amounts of cheesy and corny jokes and impressive juggling skills. Randy came to be known as an accomplished juggler and hacky-sack player. Often wooing onlookers with his tricks and witty banter, juggling, and hacky-sacking at the same time - skills he obviously honed after years of dedication and consistency – markers of a man who not only worked hard but knew how to play hard as well.

It is difficult to summarize the many stories and memories Randy has given us. Randy was a true Oregon-Renaissance man and he was always up for an adventure. Randy had a particular gift for ending up in the most precarious scenarios, providing many cherished memories and stories for both his friends and family alike. From getting his truck stuck with his dad on the beach, and then again with his brother deep in the woods -and then breaking the shovel while trying to dig it out(!), to volunteering his shoulder to help sight and break in the monstrous 300. R.UM. rifle with his step-dad Big-Randy, to fishing with dad and popping the rubber raft they were on, causing them to paddle for their lives, barely making it to shore before collapsing in laughter and soaking wet clothes, to helping start his mom’s beloved colt, Mare-Mare, on toward a career to be known a much loved Tennessee Walker. He was given the task of “Hang On!” in the early lessons with Mare-Mare, and Randy did just that, proving his strength, self-sacrifice, and kind heart once again.

These special moments are full of laughter and often head-shaking amazement. Randy gave each and every one of us top-notch campfire “this one time…” stories that are guaranteed to make people laugh and light up the room. These memories are more than just stories, they are tales of a loving man who was larger than life, and will always hold a special place in our hearts. If you have a story or adventure that Randy has gifted you with, please share it. We always love hearing them, and will never grow tired of the warmth that he brings.

Randal Barton Booth (he always huffed and puffed whenever we used his full name  – but we love him all the more for it) is survived by his mother Ellen and stepfather Big-Randy, his father Phil and stepmother Jo, his brother Peter along with his nieces Abby and Liz and his nephew Jake. He also lives on in a bountiful list of Aunts, Uncles, cousins, and step-siblings, with even more nieces and nephews, too numerous to count!

A funeral service will be held on September 1st, 2021, at 11:00 a.m., at the Desert Rose Funeral Chapel in Lakeview Oregon. Interment will take place at the West Side Cemetery, alongside his Uncle who helped bring him into this world. 

In honor and remembrance of Randy, Uncle Ydnar, Ran-Man, Your Youngest, Your Other Child, Little Randy, R.B., and Brother, please donate to the Gospel Mission located at 1931 Mission Ave, Klamath Falls OR. or to the Mission that serves in your area and community.

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