Richard "Dick" A. Barber

BARBER, Richard “Dick” A., age 81, of Kettering, passed away November 23, 2023. Dick was born January 2, 1942, in Middletown, Ohio; the son of the late Drexel and Betty (Snider) Barber. Along with his parents, he is preceded in death by his sister, Susan McEldowney. Dick is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years, Sue (Pitsinger) Barber; sons, Dave (Mona) Barber, Chris Barber, and Dan (Olga) Barber; grandchildren, Elise, Hudson, and Chloe; and numerous extended family members and friends.

Dick and Sue’s love story started with their first date at the senior prom, thanks to a matchmaking phone call by his sister.  Four years later, they married in a small ceremony at Otterbein Church in September of 1964.

He proudly served for four years in the United States Air Force, which took the couple to Missouri before returning to their hometown to start a family. He then graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelors Degree in Technology.

This led to a rewarding career at Delco Products where he made many close friends before retiring as a Senior Test Engineer more than three decades later. He then worked at S&K Tech for nearly seven years. Dick was a passionate Dayton Flyers basketball fan and, from when the arena opened in 1969 until 2020, he and Sue only missed five home games. He also enjoyed golf, photography, and scenic walks and roadtrips. Their travels took the family on camping trips throughout North America, including Gatlinburg and Niagara Falls. As a couple, he and Sue also stayed at every Kentucky state park, took a cruise through the Inside Passage of Alaska and enjoyed many visits with close friends to Woodstock, VT, Napa Valley, CA, and Park City, UT.

Dick was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and uncle. He helped keep the entire Barber family close by coordinating and photographing the annual reunion in Kentucky and regularly connecting via letters and social media. He will be profoundly missed by his family and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held Monday, December 4, 2023, at 11:00AM at Routsong Funeral Home, 2100 E. Stroop Rd, Kettering, OH 45429. Family and friends may visit from 10:00AM until the time of service. Dick will be laid to rest at Woodland Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the UD Fund, New Hope Church of Dayton https://www.newhopedayton.org/give, or Hospice of Dayton.