Doug Barber, 67, of Blair, died Saturday, July 8, 2023 in Blair. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 15, at Christ Lutheran Church, 750 Angels Share Drive, Blair,
on the former Dana College Campus in Blair. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.
Douglas James Barber was born Oct. 26, 1955, in Ord, to Lynn Clair and Betty (Thompson) Barber. He grew up in Grand Island with three brothers and one sister. The family attended First Baptist Church where Doug was baptized and attended Cub Scout meetings.
Doug graduated from Grand Island Senior High School in 1974. He then attended and graduated from Sioux Falls College in South Dakota with a degree in English. He later earned his master's degree in English from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Doug reported for and edited newspapers most of his career, including the Grand Island Daily Independent, the Ord Quiz, and the Blair Pilot-Tribune and Enterprise. He also worked for the Associated Press in Omaha for one year. He recently worked at MACC in Blair and taught English composition for Iowa Western Community College.
At the Grand Island Daily Independent, he met Patricia Waters and the couple married on December 31, 1983.
Doug especially liked covering the horse races at Fonner Park in Grand Island and interviewing the country music stars who performed at the Hall County Fair in the 1980s. He loved live music and theater and had performed in plays at Sioux Falls College. He spent many hours listening to Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, and Greg Brown.
His life-long goal was to capture the perfect Sandhill crane picture.
He cheered for the Kansas City Royals, Chicago Bears, and of course, the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Doug spent much time with all his loved ones, and he was extremely proud of his children and their families. He spoiled his grandson. In his quiet way, he was a big helper and constant source of encouragement to his family and friends. His pets adored him.
Doug is survived by his wife Patricia and their children: Betsy (Andrew) O'Malley of Hillsborough, N.H., Conrad (Stephanie) Barber of Omaha and Daniel Barber of Blair; grandsons Marlow of Omaha and another grandson on the way; mother Betty of Lincoln; brothers: Brad (Pat) Barber of Lincoln, and Jeff (Monica) Barber of Lincoln; sister-in-law Ada Barber of Kansas City, Mo.; his wife's siblings: Kathy (Roger) LaFeber of Pardeeville, Wis., Mike (Charlotte) Waters of Hastings, Jim (Sandy) Waters of Kansas City, Mo., and Barbara Waters of Grand Island; many nieces and nephews and their children; and other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his father; brother Greg Barber; sister Sandy Larkin and her husband Jim; and his wife's parents, William and Darlene Waters.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Crane Trust in Wood River, the Washington County Food Pantry in Blair, or Christ Lutheran Church.
