Jan 18, 2021
BOARDMAN John Blaine Barkett, 71, passed away suddenly Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. He was with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughters in Phoenix, Ariz.
John was born March 12, 1949, the oldest of six sons of John Michael and Josephine Joseph Barkett. He grew up on the North Side of Youngstown until the family crossed the city line to Liberty Township in 1958. John graduated from Liberty High School and Youngstown State University.
He had a successful career in medical sales, capping off 30-plus years at Picker, General Electric and Fuji Medical, specifically focused on radiological (MRI, X-Rays, CT) equipment for government (VA and DoD) accounts, both overseas and across the U.S. John would always coach that “the head bone is connected to the heart bone…you have to build relationships with people.” His dedication to “saving lives,” along with his charismatic approach, garnered him quite a few awards and letters of recognition from senior military a