Joseph Aloysius Barber, of Pennington, NJ, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones on October 5, 2021, just short of his 95th birthday. He was born on October 23, 1926 in Verona, NJ to Joseph and Jule Duffy Barber, much to the delight of his older sisters, Mary Ellen and Jule A. Barber Kreutler. Joe graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep School in Newark, NJ in 1944 where he received the President’s Award for excellence in academics, leadership and athletics. He was elected President of his class for three years, and also captain of the track team, a sport in which he excelled. A proud alumnus of St. Benedict’s, whose mission he whole heartedly supported, he participated in their alumni programs, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1990. Before graduating from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Washington D.C., in 1950, Joe served in the Air Force for two years. The School of Foreign Service prepared him well for a very successful career in international business with the Schering-Plough Corporation. Joe married Mary O’Donnell in 1952 and celebrated over 50 years of marriage. Together they raised six children. He was predeceased by Mary in 2003, and sons Timothy (1995) and Michael (2019). Left to miss Joe’s “joie de vivre” and to cherish his memory, are his wife Sally, and his children Nancy and her husband Jim Harris of Brick, NJ, his son Matthew of Denver, CO, and his daughter Tess of Brick, NJ as well as 4 grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
His career with Schering-Plough took him and his family to live in Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Columbia over the span of 20 years. These years living overseas were tremendously enjoyed by all, and provided his tight-knit family with many great adventures. Joe retired to Bay Head in 1987, and here many more memories were made with days at the beach, sailing and tennis at the Bay Head Yacht Club, meals shared around a big table, and always music, lots of music. He was an amazing father who supported his children’s endeavors with great enthusiasm, and enjoyed all their friends as well.
In 2003, he met Sally Holloway O’Brien among friends in Bay Head, and together, sharing their interest in music, they began another chapter of their lives in Pennington, at Sally’s farm Deerfield, with horses looking on. In lieu of flowers, the family would be most grateful for donations to: St. Benedict’s Prep School, 520 Martin Luther King Blvd, Newark, NJ 07102.
Private services are by the Wilson-Apple Funeral Home, 2560 Pennington Rd, Pennington. Condolences are welcome at www.wilsonapple.com.