William Eugene "Bill" Barber was born on December 22, 1925, in Canadian, Texas, to Elmer Matthew and Mildred Jane (Cathey) Barber. As an infant he moved with his family to Blackwell where he grew up and attended Blackwell Public Schools graduating in 1944. He entered the United States Army on June 28, 1944, serving during World War II. While serving on Okinawa he was wounded and disabled and received the Purple Heart Award for his valor. Following his discharge he was sent to Temple, Texas, to continue recovering from his injury. He later returned to Blackwell and attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College in Tonkawa. He then moved to Kansas City where he attended and learned the trade of watch making. He married Velda Rae Luallen on November 5, 1948, at her mother's home in Blackwell and they settled in Memphis, Tennessee, where he learned jewelry repair. In 1950 they moved to New Mexico to make their home and returned to Blackwell in 1954 where he worked with his father and brother as a broker in their trucking business. He was a member of the Blackwell Church of Christ where he also served as an elder. He enjoyed and will always be remembered as a man who could fix anything.

He is survived by his wife, Velda Barber of Blackwell; two daughters, Judy Colwell of Blackwell and Becca Walcher of Tonkawa; a sister, Rozella Clements of Derby, Kansas; a brother, Sam Barber of Portland, Oregon; four grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Saturday, January 12, 2008, in the Blackwell Church of Christ with Lanny Jobe officiating. Burial will follow in the Blackwell Cemetery with military honors presented by the Blackwell American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.