Barton Honored by Texas Press Association for 50 Years in the Newspaper Industry

Nonnie Barton’s half-century in the newspaper business was celebrated in a special way Friday.

Barton, a co-owner of The Fayette County Record and a book keeper for the newspaper for the past 46 years, was honored with The Golden 50 award Friday at the Texas Press Association’s state convention in San Marcos.

In 1972, at the age of 19, Nonnie was hired at The Deer Park Progress to sell advertising. She later married Dickie Barton, who was working at The Baytown Sun.

When her father-in-law, Dick Barton and his wife Nelda, purchased The Fayette County Record in 1976, Nonnie and Dickie moved to La Grange with them to run the newspaper.

Nonnie also was a longtime employee of La Grange ISD.

Dickie died in 2006, but today the newspaper is still owned by members of the Barton family, including Nonnie, who handles her book keeping duties remotely from her home in Richmond. Her sister-in-law Regina Keilers has been the publisher since 2012.

Nonnie also serves as the treasurer of The Texas Gulf Coast Press Association.

“I’m so glad I got involved in the newspaper business, it’s been interesting and fun,” Barton said. “I’ve met so many wonderful people both on the job and at the newspaper conventions. I feel like my newspaper friends are “family” and we really look out for each other.”

She has two children and five grandchildren, all of whom were able to attend Friday’s ceremony.