James Joseph Barrett III was born in Brooksville, Florida on May 22, 1939 to his happy parents, Maxine Russell Barrett and James Joseph Barrett, Jr. He was born and raised in Brooksville, graduated from Hernando High School, and  attended the University of Florida, where he was a member the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and was included in Who’s Who in American Colleges. After leaving the University of Florida, he joined the Air Force and served his country for four years. He then returned to complete his college degree at the University of South Florida.

In the mid 60’s Jim married Barbara Joan Edwards, also of Brooksville, and they had two wonderful sons, James Joseph Barrett IV of Lilburn, Georgia and Christopher Allen Barrett of Denver, Colorado. After residing in south Florida for several years, Jim and his family moved to Atlanta, where Jim spent most of the rest of his life. He excelled in his career in Business Real Estate, working with Shell Oil, Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, and Taco Bell, where was he was Vice- President of Real Estate.  

Jim retired early to follow his childhood dream of opening a hobby shop devoted to trains. Lionel trains were his passion from childhood until his sixties.

When Jim was in his seventies, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and moved back to his hometown of Brooksville. Thus began an often chaotic and unpredictable journey filled with all the emotions and challenges attached to this debilitating disease. Jim passed peacefully in his sleep on June 22, 2022 at the age of 83 in a memory unit in North Carolina.

He is survived by his wife, Jean Barrett, who resides in West Virginia with her daughter; his son Jim, wife Susan and three grandsons, Joseph, Samuel and Jacob, of Atlanta; his son Chris, wife Holly, and three granddaughters, Maddie and twins, Maislin and Hannah, of Denver; and his sister, Kara Laine Barrett, of Atlanta.

Jim left this earth cherishing his high school friends and the memories and good times known to all of those who had the privilege of growing up in Brooksville. To the very end, Jim remained a devoted Florida Gator. “Go Gators, Beat Georgia!”

Funeral arrangements and date will be posted, at a later date, for some time  this fall.