Grandpa Franklin - tribute

Franklin ‘Old Buck’ Barber

Waa say gii shig - Bright Sky
July 20, 1926 - June 29, 2009

Franklin Barber, 82, of Lac Courte Orielles, died Monday, June 29, 2009 at his son’s home. Franklin was born July 20, 1926 in Old Barber Town, Wis., the son of William and Ollie (Benton) Barber. He attended the Kinnamon School in Reserve and the Pipestone Indian Boarding School in Minnesota. After school he lived some years in Minnesota and Illinois, and spent the majority of his life in Utah where he worked as a beekeeper and later as a kitchen supervisor at the Ogden Golf and Country Club. Franklin was married to Shirley Barber, then later remarried to Neva Delapast, whom both preceded him in death. Upon retiring back to LCO in the mid 1980’s Franklin was employed with the Great Lakes Senior Companion Program, and attended the LCO Community College where he received his Associate Degree in Native American Studies in 1996.Franklin is survived by his sons, Billy, Nelson, Lee and Steve Barber, and Brian, Phillip and Robert Delapast; daughters, Becky Lewis and Ann Hart; grandchildren, Adrien, Michelle, Mary, Joe, Nick, Jack, Kristy, Timothy, Emily, Brittany, Leland, Eddie, Autumn, Starr, Desiree and Shawna; many great- grandchildren; and many nephews; nieces; and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Frankie Barber; daughter, Cindy Barber; two brothers, Russell “Buck” and Ernest Barber; and sister, Laura Barber. Funeral: Tribal Funeral Rites will be held beginning with a feast at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 2 at Big Drum Dance Lodge in LCO.Burial will be in Round Lake Cemetery.Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1 at the Big Drum Dance Lodge. Casketbearers will be Dan, Nelson Jr., Nick and Terry Barber, and Johnny Boy and Rodney Corbine. Pineview Funeral Service in Hayward is assisting Old Buck’s family with arrangements.

This is my Dad. He stayed with I and Derwin many times throughout our married life, and was just with us a year ago for several months. I am glad he came out here and was able to see the girls and share a few more moments with us. It has been hard to communicate with him because he has been so deaf and couldn't hear on the phone, so we always had to have one of my brothers there to act as his hearing aid. He had dementia these last years so it was a trial to keep him focused on what was current and what was in the past. He spoke the Ojibwe language extremly well, practiced the traditional teachings of the Indian people and loved to Indian dance. I am not sad to see him pass to the other side of the veil, I just wish I could be there with my brothers to take care of things.