Jerry Lee Barton was born and raised in Tarrant County, as was his mother who was born in Handley, Texas in 1914. Jerry has been involved in the betterment of Fort Worth, with special emphasis on East Fort Worth, since moving to Handley in 1949.

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Jerry graduated from Eastern Hills High School in 1961 and Texas Christian University in 1996, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. After a short stint as an elementary school teacher, Jerry joined the U.S. Army, where he completed training through Officer's Candidate School, Transportation Corp, in Newport News, Virginia. After receiving a 2nd Lieutenant Commission, Jerry served two years at the U.S. Army Primary Helicopter Training School at Fort Wolters, Texas.

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In December 1969, Jerry was honorably discharged from the Army and began a real estate career with Leonard Properties, after which he started Tarrant Paving Company. Once determining he wanted to return to the real estate market, Jerry founded Jerry Barton Company, Inc. Realtors. In May of 2023, Jerry will have 50 years of experience as a realtor. Jerry received the Realtor Emeritus designation in 2013.

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Jerry was a member of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce for several years and served as the Chairman of the East Area Council of the Chamber in the 1970s. He was active in the East Fort Worth Rotary Club, the Handley-Meadowbrook Lions Club, and he was a charter member of the East Fort Worth Business Association. Jerry became a Mason at Handley Lodge and later became a member of the Moslah Shrine Association; in 1990, he served as Captain of Moslah Patrol. During his time at the Shrine, Jerry helped raise money for the Shrine Hospital Association.

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In 2015, Jerry proposed founding Eastside Blossoms, which later expanded to become Texas Blossoms. Jerry was the first President of Texas Blossoms and has left an enduring mark on the nonprofit.