Mr. Thomas A. “Tom” Barber, 82, passed away at his home in rural Accomac on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
Reflecting on his life before going to his reward, he took great comfort in Christ’s assurance that those who show up for work in the vineyard late in the workday get the same wage as those who labored all day.
Tom was born July 2, 1942, while his dad was with the U.S. Army in the Pacific. He was delivered at his grandparents’ home in Tasley by Dr. Joseph DeCormis, who delivered many more babies than he could remember in similar home settings. Many of Tom’s preschool years were spent on a small acreage farm on Joynes Neck Road, formally known as the “Bead Farm.” Tom’s grandfather, Revell Thomas, farmed the land which Tom, as a young boy and man, would later farm with his father, Will. He grew up from his early age with a love for the Shore and its people.
When Tom’s father, Will Sr., retired from the Army in 1947, the Barber family settled in Accomac in the big square house on Courthouse Avenue, where he lived until leaving for college. He attended Accomack Primary through the seventh grade, and in 1956 he transferred to Onancock High School, graduating in 1960. Tom loved athletics including football and track, but he was noted at OHS for his intelligence and hard work with his studies rather than his athletic ability. Thomas Ray Parks, Tom’s coach and favorite teacher once remarked (good naturedly) that he had not before encountered a high school athlete with a desire to compete that so far exceeded their abilities.
In the fall of 1960, Tom entered the College of William and Mary. He enjoyed college life, excelled in his coursework, and became a member of the rifle team and the ROTC unit. Tom graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biological science and an ROTC commission.
During his three years in the Vietnam-era Army, Tom was spared combat duty in favor of his skill in riflery and marksmanship. Tom used those skills and his ability to teach others to become what were called “designated marksmen,” and now and then, snipers. The Army denied Tom for flight training, leaving him to serve as a grunt in the 82nd Airborne.
Following honorable discharge, Tom attended graduate school at Colorado State University and graduated with a Master of Science degree and a doctorate. While at CSU he was a member of five honorary societies. His work history after CSU included only two employers: the University of Wisconsin Madison for five years and Baxter Healthcare Corporation for 29 years.
Tom returned to the Eastern Shore in 2006 with his beloved wife, Deborah, to live out his days in a 19th-century farmhouse on a small farm on Joynes Neck Road, where his great-grandfather and grandfather once lived. Tom was a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Parksley.
He was predeceased by his parents, Will Albert Barber Sr. and Jane Tabitha Lilliston Barber; brother, Will Albert Barber Jr.; and sister, Billy Jane Winston. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Deborah; daughters, Dr. Tabitha J. Rubash and her husband, Bradley, of Libertyville, Ill., and Caitlyn Barber, of Gurnee, Ill.; and his grandchildren, Jackson and Anna Rubash. Tom loved dogs, especially Jack Russell Terriers.
Tom would like to share the following thoughts with his friends: “Free advice is often worth just what you paid for it.” “Love your family; family is everything.” “Treasure your friends, good friends are hard to make and very easy to lose.” “If you have your health, you have it all. Give thanks.”
Funeral services were held at Grace United Methodist Church on Monday, Aug. 5, at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Bill McClung officiating. Private interment followed at the Edgehill Cemetery.
Contributions in Tom’s memory may be made to Grace United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 156, Parksley, VA 23421 or to the Eastern Shore SPCA, P.O. Box 164, Onley, VA 23418, www.shorespca.com
Memory tributes may be shared with the family at
www.williamsfuneralhomes.com
Arrangements were by the Williams-Parksley Funeral Home.
