James Barlas, 80, of Pensacola, FL, died peacefully on Saturday, February 8, 2025, surrounded by his family.

James was born on March 26, 1944, in Pittsburgh, PA, and graduated from St. Anselm High School. He joined the Navy as an aviation technician, which led him to Pensacola, where he met his wife, Kathleen Stapleton. They were married on June 1, 1968.

Jim worked for a telecommunication company as it evolved from Western Electric to AT&T and, finally, Lucent Technologies. The company sent them to Lafayette, LA, and Highland Mills, NY. He moved back to Pensacola in 2009 when his wife retired from teaching in New York. He had retired several years earlier.

Jim was a hard worker who could fix almost anything. He once took an engine apart of a VW Rabbit, numbered all the parts, and then put it all back together so that his daughter, Laura, would have a car for college. He loved his family and always was helping people he knew. He was there if you needed a ride to the doctor's or to help you through a hard time. He liked being quiet and sitting on his front or back porch reading or listening to the birds.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Mary Gubanich and Joseph Barlas; brother, Joseph "Buddy" Barlas; and sister, Francis Barlas.

He is survived by his wife, Katie; his daughter, Laura Wanek (Jody), and their children, Sarah Wanek and Matthew Wanek; daughter, Jennifer Barlas; son, Chris Barlas (Jeanna), and their children, Kate Barlas, Olivia Barlas, and William Barlas; sister, Mary Alice Francisco of San Jose, CA; brother, William Barlas (Judy) of Pittsburgh, PA; sister-in-law, Elizabeth Bell; brother-in-law, James Stapleton; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held from 9:00am until a Mass of Christian Burial begins at 10:00am Monday, February 17, 2025, at The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Pensacola, FL, with Fr. James Valenzuela celebrant. Interment will immediately follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. A reception will follow all services back at the church parish hall.

The family would like to thank everyone with Vitas Hospice who helped James.