Obituary for Donald Spencer Barber
Donald Spencer Barber, 92 of Williston, Vermont died peacefully on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at his residence.
Don was born on June 22, 1928 to the late Kenneth W. Barber and Edith (Spencer) Barber of Windsor, Connecticut. He attended Amherst College and Tufts University School of Medicine before starting his internship at Maine General Hospital in Portland Maine in 1953. In June of 1952, he married his first wife, Alice (Tomkievich) King of Bloomfield, Connecticut and they had four children: Thomas Barber (deceased), Susan (Barber) Hackney, married to John Hackney of Montpelier, Vermont, Robert Barber of Jackson, Wyoming, and Penny Barber of Essex Junction, Vermont. He was pre-deceased by his first wife, Alice, his second wife, Ida (Pike) Barber, his son, Thomas Spencer Barber of Johnson, Vermont, and his sister, Elizabeth Dougherty of Newington, Connecticut. He is survived by his brother, Robert Barber of Rockledge, Florida.
Don was a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps for two years at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, MA and then completed his residency at Maine General Hospital in 1956. Upon completion of his residency, he started his general practice in Billerica, MA (1957 – 1964) and then moved to Johnson, Vermont and subsequently Morrisville, Vermont where he had a solo medical practice from 1964 -1986. What started as a general practice became obstetrics, gynecology, and pediatrics and he delivered many babies in Lamoille County. Ida Pike DeGoosh, his second wife, was his office nurse for all but one of those years. They married in October 1979 and were married for 36 years. He was an attending physician at Copley Hospital in Morrisville 1964 – 1986, when he retired.
Don leaves his three children, two step-daughters Eileen (DeGoosh) Perkins, married to Bill Perkins of Johnson, Vermont, and Anita DeGoosh of New Haven Connecticut, and four grandchildren: Elizabeth, Owen, and Sophia Manley and Dustin Lamore.
With a passion for genealogy, Don spent hours researching family lines and he has written three editions of a book titled, The Connecticut Barbers, a Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas Barber of Windsor, Connecticut.
Don will be remembered for his love of music, studying and playing the violin for almost 50 years during which he played in the Portland Maine Symphony and the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra. Later, he studied and played the cello and played in the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cheshire CT Symphony Orchestra. He was part of various string quartets and other chamber ensembles through the years. Later in life, playing the piano and duets with friends Kaylie Collins and Jane Farrell and his daughter, Sue, gave him great pleasure.
Due to COVID restrictions, there will be no celebration of life until next spring or summer (2021). Don's burial will be in Windsor, Connecticut. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Vermont Land Trust (8 Bailey Avenue, Montpelier, Vermont), online at vlt.org. The family also invites you to share your memoires and condolences by visiting awrfh.com
Don was born on June 22, 1928 to the late Kenneth W. Barber and Edith (Spencer) Barber of Windsor, Connecticut. He attended Amherst College and Tufts University School of Medicine before starting his internship at Maine General Hospital in Portland Maine in 1953. In June of 1952, he married his first wife, Alice (Tomkievich) King of Bloomfield, Connecticut and they had four children: Thomas Barber (deceased), Susan (Barber) Hackney, married to John Hackney of Montpelier, Vermont, Robert Barber of Jackson, Wyoming, and Penny Barber of Essex Junction, Vermont. He was pre-deceased by his first wife, Alice, his second wife, Ida (Pike) Barber, his son, Thomas Spencer Barber of Johnson, Vermont, and his sister, Elizabeth Dougherty of Newington, Connecticut. He is survived by his brother, Robert Barber of Rockledge, Florida.
Don was a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps for two years at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, MA and then completed his residency at Maine General Hospital in 1956. Upon completion of his residency, he started his general practice in Billerica, MA (1957 – 1964) and then moved to Johnson, Vermont and subsequently Morrisville, Vermont where he had a solo medical practice from 1964 -1986. What started as a general practice became obstetrics, gynecology, and pediatrics and he delivered many babies in Lamoille County. Ida Pike DeGoosh, his second wife, was his office nurse for all but one of those years. They married in October 1979 and were married for 36 years. He was an attending physician at Copley Hospital in Morrisville 1964 – 1986, when he retired.
Don leaves his three children, two step-daughters Eileen (DeGoosh) Perkins, married to Bill Perkins of Johnson, Vermont, and Anita DeGoosh of New Haven Connecticut, and four grandchildren: Elizabeth, Owen, and Sophia Manley and Dustin Lamore.
With a passion for genealogy, Don spent hours researching family lines and he has written three editions of a book titled, The Connecticut Barbers, a Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas Barber of Windsor, Connecticut.
Don will be remembered for his love of music, studying and playing the violin for almost 50 years during which he played in the Portland Maine Symphony and the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra. Later, he studied and played the cello and played in the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cheshire CT Symphony Orchestra. He was part of various string quartets and other chamber ensembles through the years. Later in life, playing the piano and duets with friends Kaylie Collins and Jane Farrell and his daughter, Sue, gave him great pleasure.
Due to COVID restrictions, there will be no celebration of life until next spring or summer (2021). Don's burial will be in Windsor, Connecticut. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Vermont Land Trust (8 Bailey Avenue, Montpelier, Vermont), online at vlt.org. The family also invites you to share your memoires and condolences by visiting awrfh.com