Barrie Gaines Barber

Barrie Gaines Barber, 84, of Edgewood, New Mexico, passed away peacefully on April 17, 2025, just days shy of his 85th birthday.

Born April 21, 1940, in Atlanta, Georgia, Barrie was the eldest of five children. His family relocated to Miami, Florida in 1952, and he graduated from North Miami Senior High School in 1959. Shortly after, he joined the U.S. Army, where he proudly served for six years, including two years stationed in Turkey.

After his military service, Barrie attended Miami-Dade Junior College before moving to Lapeer County, Michigan. There, he began a long and successful career with the Buick Motor Division as a millwright in the skilled trades.

In 1964, Barrie married Barbara, and they had two children, Barrie Jr. and Michele. Following their divorce, he met Judith Rice while both were working at Buick. Barrie and Judith were married for 54 years, sharing a life filled with love, faith, and mutual devotion.

Barrie was preceded in death by his parents, J. Oscar and Evelyn G. Barber; his beloved wife, Judith; his son, Barrie Jr.; and his stepdaughter, Angela La Clair. He is survived by his daughter, Michele Lambaria; his stepson, Marc La Clair (Lisa); his sister, Marie Wilson; brothers, Bill Barber (Ginny), Brian Barber (Kim), and Jon Barber; and his brother-in-law, Maxim Rice (Nancy).

Barrie was a skilled handyman and generous with his time and talents. In retirement, he often helped family and friends with projects both large and small. With Judith’s influence, he developed a deep compassion for others and supported numerous veterans’ organizations and animal welfare causes. Their bond was one of true soulmates.

Together, Barrie and Judith were members of the Cowboy Church in Edgewood, where they served actively on the prayer team and found a deep sense of spiritual community.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Barrie’s memory may be made to the Angela Renee Scholarship Fund at Arizona State University:Angela Renee Scholarship Fund (#G00250 FD 40)PO Box 2260Tempe, AZ 85280-2260

A memorial service will be held on July 17th at 3:00pm at Riverside Funeral Home in Albuquerque, NM.