Thomas E. Barber

Thomas E. Barber, age 65, passed away Saturday, May 26, 2012, at Good Shepherd House in Sebring, Florida. Mr. Barber was born in Sebring, Florida on April 15, 1947, to Russell and Sara (Grice) Barber. He attended school in Frostproof, Florida before joining the U.S. Navy in 1967. He earned the rank of Quartermaster 3 before he was honorably discharged in 1971. He worked in restaurant/hotel management in Delaware, New Jersey and Florida until 1984 when he stepped into a management role with Ward's Nursery, Inc., where he worked until his retirement in 2004. Mr. Barber was a member of the Avon Park Noon Rotary Club and the Florida Citrus Nurserymen Assn. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Debbie, brothers Russell Barber of Sebring, FL, and John Barber of McRae, GA; sisters Linda Day (Tony) Todd and Diane (James) Selph of Avon Park; children Eric Barber of Plant City, FL, Doug Barber of Orlando, FL, Elizabeth (Mike) Abell of Sebring, FL, Patrick (Jennifer) Barber of Lexington, TN, Katie (Neil) Barnett of Cranberry Township, PA, and Robert (Jaime) Barber of Venice, FL, as well as five grandchildren, Gavin Abell, Gage and Logan Barber, Zoey Barnett, and Addison Barber, and numerous nieces and nephews. Mr. Barber was preceded in death by his parents, step-father, J. Robert Day, sisters Peggy Day Booth and Deborah Barber, a brother Russell Arnold Barber, and a son, Damon Hileman. A memorial service will be held Thursday, May 31, 2012, at 2:00 P.M. at St. Ann's Episcopal Church, 204 North 9th Avenue, Wauchula, FL with the Rev. Jim McConnell officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to either Camp Wingmann, 3404 Wingmann Rd., Avon Park, FL 33825, or www.curechildhoodcancer.org. Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home - Avon Park www.stephensonnelsonfh.com