Barber, William "Bill"
William “Bill” Henry Barber, 89, formerly of South Windsor, passed away peacefully on March 21, 2023 after a long battle with dementia. Born an only child in Binghamton, NY on December 17, 1933, Bill became a lover of all things academic. He attended Hamilton College earning an English Literature Master's degree and went on to teach middle school English. Shortly after, Bill met his beloved wife and best friend of 46 years, the late Ellen (O'Keefe) Barber. Bill then gave us his best gift: becoming our father. Bill and Ellen were the best balance of parents any child could ask for and gave us and their friends many happy and loving memories.
After Bill started his family, he worked as a technical editor, using his love of literature and grammar at various companies. Bill also loved to be active by walking, biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing. Bill was a voracious reader and could often be found in his chair after dinner devouring his latest novel from the library. He enjoyed cheering on his children while they played sports as well as cheering on the UConn basketball teams. Bill amazed us with his ability to finish any crossword puzzle, in what felt like just minutes. He often could be heard whistling a happy tune around the house and offering a witty comment to anyone nearby. He loved a hot cup of coffee in the morning with his newspaper and always caught the evening news after work. With his children, Bill loved going to UConn games, shared his love of books, and instilled the importance of education. Our dad was a true gentleman; one who displayed an easygoing, intelligent, and thoughtful demeanor and showed a quiet strength in all he did.
Bill was also a caretaker for his wife when it was needed most and later his mother-in-law, Eleanor. Eleanor treated Bill like a son and he loved and respected her as a mother, taking many trips to Scranton to pick her up to spend time with Ellen. His devotion to our mother knew no bounds. We will miss him dearly. Our greatest sorrow is that dementia robbed Bill of precious time with his children and grandchildren.
Bill is survived by his son Stephen Barber of Brentwood, Mo; his daughters Lynne Calabro and son-in-law Kenneth of South Windsor, Julie Weiss and son-in-law Jeremy of Cromwell, and Kelley Cohen and son-in-law Glenn of Simpsonville, SC; and his granddaughter, Nicole Calabro and grandsons, Jack and Ben Weiss. He was predeceased by his wife Ellen and mother-in-law Eleanor O'Keefe.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Livewell, formally the Alzheimer's Resource Center, at livewell.org. Bill's family wishes to thank all of the nurses, CNAs, and staff that spent time with him throughout his 5 years at Livewell. Your care, expertise, and compassion that you showed not just my father, but his whole family, truly made a difference in all of our lives.
A graveside service will be in the Wapping Cemetery, 50 Oakland Road in South Windsor, CT, 06074 on Thursday, March 30, 2023, at 11:00 am. There are no calling hours. Samsel & Carmon Funeral Home in South Windsor, has care of the arrangements. To leave a condolence, please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com