HERBERT HAZARD BARBER, JR. VALPARAISO, IN Herbert Hazard Barber, Jr., age 95 of Valparaiso, passed away at the VNA Hospice Center on November 2, 2016. Herb was born on January 28, 1921 on the family farm in Atchison County, Kansas, to Herbert Hazard Barber, Sr. and Addie Ellen (Bagby) Barber. He grew up in the city of Atchison, graduated from Atchison High School in 1939, and was valedictorian of St. Benedict's College in 1943. After cadet training at
Yale University, Herb was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps in the Spring of 1944, and married Mary Ella (Shelton) Barber on July 9, 1944. He served as an air tower control officer in WW II on Peleliu, Angaur, Guam and other islands in the Pacific. After the war, Herb got a master's degree at Kansas University. He was a research chemist for Amoco Oil, specializing in gas chromatography, for 36 years. He started at Texas City, TX in 1948, and moved to Valparaiso, Indiana in 1961 to work at Whiting. Toward the end of his career, his job moved to Naperville, IL, but he continued to live in Valparaiso. Herb's strong interest in environmental protection led him to help found Valparaiso's household hazardous waste collection program. He was a member of Kiwanis, the American Chemical Society and the First United Methodist Church of Valparaiso. Herb loved music, playing bridge, golf, writing memoirs, and socializing with his many friends. He and Mary Ella traveled extensively and participated in a number of Elderhostel programs. He also read widely, and was particularly interested in
WWII history. Herb was preceded in death by his parents and sister Arena (Barber) Ober. He is survived by his wife Mary Ella, who currently resides in the memory care unit at Rittenhouse in Valparaiso; his sister Maxine (Barber) Ulrich of Wichita, KS; his sons: Jeff and Andy, their spouses Carl Smith and Mary Ellen Kazimer, and numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives. A memorial visitation will be held Saturday, November 12, 2016 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at
Moeller Funeral Home, 104 Roosevelt Rd., Valparaiso with a memorial service beginning at 3:00 p.m. and refreshments to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Herb's honor to .
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