Gabriel A. Barreto

Gabriel Almeida Barreto passed away on March 8, 2024, in Orange Park, FL. He was born on January 3, 2024 in Jacksonville, FL to Leandro “Leo” Barreto and Rachelle “Shelley” (Martin) Barreto.

Gabriel was a sweet, loving baby with a feisty fighter side to match his red hair. He loved cuddles, kisses and food, but hated diaper changes, bath time or big folks violating his bubble for things like changing clothes or thermometers. He demanded intense eye contact from his Mama during feeding times, shamelessly tapping her face as a reminder to focus on the important things (him) if her attention wandered. He loved cuddling with his Papai and plucking out his chest hairs while watching him play video games or listening to rock music together, especially “Shinedown”, like a true Jacksonvillian baby. He happily danced with his Vovo daily and loved listening to his grandpa play him music or sing. The first time he ever laughed was when his buddy, Zara, the family dog, tried to delicately steal the socks right off his tiny feet…she’s obsessed with socks and Mama figures she thought he would be too small to stop her. Sometimes he was more than happy to share all the comfy spots with the family cat, Little Bit, but not if it meant sharing cuddle time with Mama!

Though his life was tragically short and many who loved him were never able to meet him in person, this tiny terror left a disproportionately huge impact and an abiding memory that will be cherished forever.

Family members preceding Gabriel in death are his maternal step-grandmother, Jeanne Martin; maternal great-grandparents, Homer and Alice Sutton, Jr; paternal great-grandparents, Fernando and Jozelita Marques de Almeida; paternal great-grandparents, Jose Mario Fraga and Ligia Vivas Barreto; maternal great-aunt, Monique Wallen; cousin, Steven Wilson; and godfather, Edmarcio de Almeida Nascimento.

Gabriel is survived his parents; older sister, Melissa Barreto; maternal grandfather, John Martin; maternal grandmother and step-grandfather, Alita Martin and David Thompson; paternal grandparents, Mario Barreto and Simone Almeida; maternal great-grandparents and step-great-grandparents, Raymond and Elora “Mickey” Martin, and Frank and Eileen “Linda” Texeira; uncles, Jeremy Martin and Luciano Barreto; aunts, Erica Madalena, Paige Peebles and Sydney Haskin; great-uncles, Kevin Martin, Sr., Mike Bosko, Homer “Bubba” Sutton, III, Bill Davis, Kevin Clauson and Eric Wallen; great-aunts, Cassandra Martin, Victoria Smith, Juliette Belmonte, Lisa Davis and Karyn Sutton; cousins, Eric, Maria Paula, Liam and other numerous cousins; dear family friends, Silas, Rafael, Maddie and Tarik; family pets, Zara (dog, his best friend) and Little Bit (cat, his rival for all the comfy spots).

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, March 16, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at Aaron and Burney Bivens Funeral Home, 529 Kingsley Avenue, Orange Park, FL 32073, (904) 264-1233.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gabriel A. Barreto, please visit our floral store.