Bertram “Bud”‘s Obituary Saratoga Springs, NY -Bertram (Bud) Barber, passed away peacefully on May 16, 2019, at the age of 76 years, after a fierce and relentless two year battle with pancreatic cancer. His three daughters were by his side. His family knew him as a loving and selfless soul.
He will remembered for his commitment to family, love of basketball and great sense of humor. Bud was born in Hoosick Falls, New York on March 5, 1943 and lived there for 60 years. He was the son of Joseph P. Barber and Julia Duane Barber.
As a young boy he developed his love of sports and family. He would spend his summers working on the Duane family farm in Greenwich, also where his mother grew up. He played basketball and baseball for St. Mary’s Academy.
As a junior he was selected to attend Boy’s State, a summer leadership program by the American Legion. His claim to fame was the basketball game where the headline read “Barber Outscores Warriors by Himself”. Bud graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in Hoosick Falls in 1962, went on to attend Hudson Valley Community College and afterwards enrolled in the U.S. Navy where he served for two years aboard the JD Blackwood.
After an honorable discharge from the Navy, Bud moved back to Hoosick Falls. He worked for the Niagara Mohawk Power Company for 40 years as a lineman, serviceman and high bill investigator. He married and had three daughters.
He began a girls youth basketball program at the Hoosick Falls Youth Center of which he was incredibly proud. After his retirement, he moved to Saratoga Springs, NY to be closer to his family. He worked part-time at the YMCA for six years including working with the basketball program, again sharing his love of the game with local youth.
He joined the Knights of Columbus and was a member of Saratoga 745 Fourth Degree Assembly and a devoted parishioner of St. Clements. After his grandchildren were born, he attended every game, ice cream stop, concert, and dance recital that he could. He was a proud NYU basketball dad and was overjoyed to share in NYU games this year with his entire family.
He is survived by his three daughters, Kimberly Barber, Anne (Kevin) Acton and Meg Barber. He had extreme pride in his two beautiful grandchildren, Connor and Julia, who were the light of his life. He is also survived by his brother John (Kate) Barber who never had to pull the weeds because he was the youngest, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and his former spouse Ellen (Potrikus).
He was known for talking incessantly and proudly about his family and all of their memories together to anyone that would listen. He was predeceased by his loving parents, his dear brother Michael Barber, his loving sister MaryAnne (Smith), and several much loved in-laws and friends. Bud’s legacy is his family.
He will always be remembered for his passion for the sport of basketball, his impact on youth through coaching and his life-long love affair with the Duke Blue Devils. Bud will be fondly remembered by family and friends as a loving and devoted father, a fun and adventurous grandfather, a caring friend, an extremely hard worker, a stranger to no-one and a proud US Navy veteran. The thing of it is, is, he had a keen fashion sense that always included his Duke hat.
He was lucky enough to attend three Duke games in his lifetime but would trade them all in for a night on the back deck with his family laughing and entertaining everyone with his infamous story telling. Calling hours will be at the Burke Funeral Home, 628 North Broadway, on Wednesday, May 22 from 4 to 7pm. A Mass will be celebrated Thursday, May 23 at 11am in St. Clement’s Church.
A military burial will follow at 12:30pm at the Gerald Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery. The Knights of Columbus will meet at 6pm Wednesday at the funeral home for their service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks you make a donation to Project Purple, who generously supported him and his family throughout his battle with cancer or the Hoosick Falls Youth Center, a place Bud remembered fondly from his childhood years playing and later years coaching.
The family would also like to thank the Saratoga Oncology staff, who took great care of him and Hospice of Saratoga Springs. Finally, the family asks that in honor of Bud that you hug your loved ones extra tight today.
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