Kristie Barton, 59

Kristie Barton passed away Feb. 17, 2023, in Roseville, Calif., with family by her side.

Kristie was born to Frank “Zeke” and Delores (Linnemeyer) Mokry in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, on Oct. 6, 1963. She joined a big brother, Jamie. That marriage ended in divorce and Delores married Jim Barton in 1964. A second brother, Wally, joined the family in 1966. Soon after that, Jim formally adopted Jamie and Kristie.

Kristie was born with a special “cleaning and organizing” gene. When she was barely old enough to maneuver a walker, she would find a cloth of some kind and roll around the house dusting the coffee table, shelves — anything she could reach.

Kristie might have been a tiny little girl, but she controlled her two brothers with a mighty hand. Jamie remembers one game she liked to play called “Clean the House.” He hated that game because it meant that he had to stay outside while she “cleaned the house." Wally remembers one winter afternoon Kristie told him she was tired of looking at the snow, so she sent him outside to shovel the snow out of the yard. He was working on that project when his mom came home. She asked what he was doing, and he told her: “Kristie said I have to shovel the snow out of the yard because she’s tired of looking at it.” Well, he got rescued and was allowed back into the house.

After graduating from Bonners Ferry High School, Kristie attended school in Coeur d’Alene. For a while she, and her cousin Kenny shared an apartment. He remembers her tidiness. He said he had a habit of emptying his pockets and throwing the contents on his dresser at night, but sometimes finding that Kristie had sneaked into his room, while he was sleeping, and organized his “stuff” — even his loose change was neatly piled according to coin. Kristie moved to Walnut Creek, Calif., in 1986 and started her career with a local law firm. She enjoyed California living, and remembers the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, however, she never forgot family and longtime friends from Bonners Ferry.

In 2008, Kristie met Kim Hemstalk, an artist and a stone mason. She would spend the rest of her life with him. They eventually sold their house in the Bay Area and moved to Downieville, Calif., where Kim had his business.

Kristie made friends wherever she went. There was a special group of ladies in Downieville, who sort of adopted her. She referred to them as “The Nifty Fifties Ladies.” She loved joining them for lunch, church and special occasions. Kim was always there to take care of Kristie, through good times and bad. No matter how sick Kristie was, she never gave up on life. During her final days at the hospital, she was still organizing her belongings, tidying up however she could, and planning what she was going to do when she went home. Kim would be sent on many missions with instructions for what she needed and exactly where it could be found.

Kristie was preceded in death by her grandparents, Walter and LaVeeda Linnemeyer; her mother, Delores Riekena; a niece, Jessica Soule; father Zeke Mokry; and half-sisters Tammi and Darcy Mokry of Plummer, Idaho. She is survived by her life companion, Kim Hemstalk of Downieville; her father, Jim Barton of Ocean Shores, Wash.; brothers Jamie (Pam) Barton, Wally (Tammy) Barton and “Papa Rick” Riekena of Bonners Ferry; half-brothers Frankie (Cheryl) Mokry, Trevor (Elizabeth) Mokry and Valentine (Stephanie) Mokry of Plummer; special cousins Shelly (Larry) Steckman of Ridgefield, Wash., and Kenny (Nely) Barton of Bonners Ferry; and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 25, 2023, at United Methodist Church, 6568 Lincoln St., Bonners Ferry.

Bonners Ferry Funeral Home is caring for the family. To leave a message or memory for the family, go to www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com.