Frank Joseph Barberis, age100, of Belton, Missouri passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 10, 2023. He was born February 23, 1923 in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York to Ernest and Ida (Bardone) Barberis, both immigrants from Northern Italy. Later, his family moved across the Hudson to New Jersey.
After graduating from Union Hill High School in North Bergen in 1940 Frank enrolled in the Casey Jones School of Aeronautics where he received certification as a master mechanic in December 1941. He worked as an airplane mechanic in Baltimore until he was drafted into the US Army Air Force and trained to service and maintain the state-of-the-art Boeing B-29 bomber. He spent most of WWII working at airfields in India, China and on islands in the Pacific.
After the war he completed a degree at Bergen Junior College then was able to attend the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia thanks to the G.I. Bill program. During his college years he spent several months in Havana, Cuba studying Spanish. He received his degree in Journalism but after graduating he began working for the American Oil Co (Amoco) in New York in their accounting department. He later transferred to their Baltimore office where he began to spend time with a lovely young co-worker named Helen (Hare). They bonded at duckpin bowling league nights and on excursions aboard Frank’s flashy wooden cabin cruiser on the Chesapeake Bay. They were married in Baltimore May 13th, 1961. Their first child, Joseph, was born exactly one year later followed in quick succession by Lawrence and Frances. Frank was transferred to Atlanta in 1973 where their fourth child, Linda, was born. Although Frank’s New York accent sometimes intimidated his children’s friends on the telephone he enjoyed living in Georgia.
As the computer age caused Amoco to consolidate their operations he was transferred to Kansas City in 1979. Frank and Helen knew nothing about the area and flew there with one week to find and purchase a home for their family. They ended up in Belton, Missouri and even after their children were grown and out of the house they chose to stay permanently having moved enough times in their lives.
After retiring in the late 1980’s Frank enjoyed woodworking, golf and working in his yard and he was active in his church, St. Sabina in Belton. He maintained his good health and mental acuity until the last months of his life. He read extensively, completed a crossword puzzle every day and was constantly striving to increase his knowledge by studying the Italian language, mathematics and other subjects.
At age 100 he was preceded in his death by almost all of his contemporaries, most notably his beloved older brother Dan Barberis of Middlebury, Vermont in 2005.
He is survived by Helen, his wife of 62 years, son Joe of Whitefish, Montana, son Larry of Peculiar, Missouri, daughter Fran (Wells) of Marshfield, Missouri, Linda (Weisenmiller) of Omaha, Nebraska plus seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A visitation for Frank will be held Friday, August 25, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at St. Sabina Parish, 700 Trevis Ave., Belton, MO 64012. A funeral mass will occur Friday, August 25, 2023 at 11:00 AM, 700 Trevis Ave., Belton, MO 64012. An inurnment will occur Friday, August 25, 2023 at 11:45 AM in the Belton Cemetery, 710 S. Scott, Belton, MO 64012.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mcgilleygeorgebelton.com for the Barberis family.
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