Frank Carter Barber

frank barber

June 1, 1942 ~ September 1, 2014

Born in: Atlanta, Ga
Resided in: Dunwoody, GA

Frank Barber (6/1/1942-9/1/2014) spent his life’s work and energy as an educator and advocate “making life less difficult for others.” Frank was born in Atlanta, grew up in Kirkwood, and lived most of his adult life in Stone Mountain, GA. He was an alumnus of Georgia State University (65) University of Georgia (69) and Emory University (74). Frank was devoted to making life better for those who have the least, providing them with education, food, medicine, and prayer. He was a pioneer in educational technology and was the first teacher in Georgia to use a computer in his mathematics classroom in 1970. By the time Frank retired as Associate Superintendent of DeKalb County Schools there was a computer for each five students. After retiring from DeKalb County, Frank served as a consultant to Bell South helping to develop the educational gateway for the internet. His graduate education, love of learning, and commitment to get technology into the hands of kids in public schools enabled Frank to make a lasting contribution to public education. Frank taught Sunday School for forty years and after retirement joined his wife Gail in directing VBS every summer. Frank loved the outdoors and was an avid hiker, gardener, kayaker, and letterboxer. Frank is preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Gail King Barber. He is survived by his children and their families: Jill, Trudy, and Jordan Lee-Barber, Glen, Jen, Tafton, & Tristan Barber, Tom, Lynn, & Nova Ngo, and Abudul Hussain, as well as countless members of his dear extended immigrant family. Condolences can be sent through www.wagesandsons.com; in lieu of flowers, donations to www.heifer.org, www.umcor.org, https://www.rescue.org/us-program/us-atlanta-ga, or the church benevolent fund of your choice can be made. Visitation will be from 6-8 pm on 9/5 at Wages in Stone Mountain. Memorial Service will be at 2 pm on 9/6 at Dunwoody United Methodist Church, with visitation and reception from 1-2 pm at the church.

View current weather.

Memories Timeline

Guestbook

  1. Hi Glenn and Jill,

    I am so sorry for your loss. Your Dad was truly a great Dad, a great Husband and a great person. He will be missed. I plan on seeing you soon.

    Sincerely, Barbara

  2. Our thoughts and prayers are with each of you. We rejoice in knowing he is in Heaven with Gail at the feet of Jesus. I am sorry we cannot attend the Service this weekend. Know that we are there with you in our hearts and minds.

  3. I know you’ll miss your dad. You both will be in my prayers. I’m not able to come to the funeral but I will be there in spirit. I didn’t know y’all very well, but I sure loved your dad (my cousin). He was a great guy.
    Love, Ellie

  4. Glenn and Jill:
    I knew your mom and dad pretty well when I was younger, but had not seen them in a long time. I have always admired their devotion to the work of their church and to underserved children of God. I know they are rejoicing in God’s presence! I pray for strength and courage for you both as you face the future without them. Cherish the wonderful memories you had together. They truly were God’s servants.

  5. Felt privileged to know him in Disciples and in other church activities. It’s always easy to say someone was a good man, but that definitely applies to him.

  6. Jill and Glenn,
    So sorry on the loss of your Dad.
    He was a wonderful person ,friend and you know the best Dad ever! He will be missed so!
    Hope to see you Saturday.
    Prayers and love,
    Gail and Joe

  7. All of us at HLM are so sad to hear of Frank’s passing. He was a great man, husband, father, grandfather, friend and humanitarian. I know your lives will be empty without both he and Gail. They are reunited in God’s kingdom and will be watching over all of you and those they cared for all their lives.

  8. Jill,
    I ‘m so sorry to see that your dad has passed away. You and all your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
    Love, Judy

  9. I am very sorry for your loss.

    The very first time I touched a computer was in workshop at the County Office led by Frank Barber. The machines we used were fairly large Apples, many years before Macs. Frank told me I couldn’t break the computer, and I believed him. Having taught with Frank at Tucker HIgh School in the 70s, I knew he knew more about computers than anyone else I knew. And because I taught with him, I knew he could teach almost anyone. Frank was a wonderful teacher, whether he was teaching calculus or eighth grade arithmetic. He was generous, patient, and kind to students and colleagues alike.

  10. Jill, Trudy, and Jordan
    We share in your sadness but also share in the knowledge that your dad is living the next chapter of his life!

  11. Our family feels your pain ! We are so very sorry for your entire family in the loss of such a great man. God Bless You All !!

    Nancee, Debbie, Cindy and Mike Clark

  12. I began as a DeKalb County Media Specialist in 1975 and I thought Frank Barber was one of the smartest and most helpful people I met while there. He understood that libraries and computers go together way back in the 70’s. I admired him immensely. He did so much to help all of us learn. Even though I haven’t seen him for many years, I have not forgotten his teaching me at the County Office. I am saddened to learn of your loss. Frank touched so many lives. He will be greatly missed.

  13. I met Frank when I was an administrator in the Special Education Department in the DeKalb County school system. At that time, Egleston Hospital’s school program was counted as a DeKalb school overseen by the Special Education Department, and the school system paid the salary of the teacher that ran the Egleston school program. Frank was instrumental in enabling computers to be made available and installed on mobile carts for use by hospitalized children. This innovation was especially helpful to the children who came for dialysis three days weekly and therefore could not attend their public school. It didn’t matter to Frank that the children at Egleston came from many places outside of DeKalb county. He saw the need and was a key factor in enabling the hospitalized children at Egleston to have access to computers in order to progress in their school work. He truly touched more lives than you can imagine. I had enormous respect for him and am grateful to have known him.


Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle

  1. CandleImage
  2. CandleImage
  3. CandleImage
  4. CandleImage
  5. CandleImage
  6. CandleImage
  7. CandleImage
  8. CandleImage