Nathan Lee Barber

Nathan Lee Barber, Sr., who liked to be called Nate, passed away on Oct 5, 2023. He was born to Travis Levi Barber and Willie Avo Biggerstaff in Oklahoma City on Dec 30, 1936. Nate attended Capitol Hill High School where he participated in several sports. He excelled in football as a center tackle and each year he played Capitol Hill was mid-state champions. Nate was offered scholarships to played football for several Junior Colleges but decided to join the service.

After his graduation, Nate suspected he by might be drafted and decided to be master of his fate, so he enlisted in 1956 in the Army for three years. His decision was beneficial later when he decided to attend college and purchased his first house. He joined a new branch in the Army called Cryptography, coding, and decoding of messages. Nate liked the work, which probably explains his lifelong enjoyment working the Cryptogram puzzles that appeared in the ‘Daily Oklahoman.’

Nate was stationed in the Philippines during his years of service, and he had fond memories of his time in the Philippines, trekking through the jungles with army buddies, and making friends the people who lived there. He continued corresponding with many of them for several years after his return home. After his discharge from the Army, Nate joined the Oklahoma City Police Department in 1959.

He met Doris Evelyn Bennett and after a few months, they married on June 13, 1959. Their son, Nathan Lee Barber, Jr., was born in Aug 1960. Almost a year earlier, Nate and Evelyn agreed to take custody of her younger siblings, Rachel (16), AC (12), Andy (9), Rita (5). The younger children were living in dire conditions and needed a stable environment. Rachel, pregnant at the time, gave birth to her son, David in Feb 1960. So, by Aug 1960, Nate and Evelyn’s family had grown to eight. Nate, only 23 at the time, willingly accepted the responsibility and became father to all these children.

After working sometime as a patrol officer with the Oklahoma City Police Department, Nate helped start the Crime Investigation Unit and worked in that department until his retirement in 1979. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the Central State University in 1972. Nate was an active member of the Fraternal Order of Police and continued to attend meetings until his health declined. During 1992 and 1993, Nate was president of the Retired Officers Association. As president, he worked to make innovate procedures which are still in use today.

After his retirement, Nate admitted he “goofed off” for a couple of years before going to work for the Medical Police Department of the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital. He was quickly promoted to Assistant Chief of Police. He left that position in 1992 and went to work for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. In 1994, Nate began working for the U.S. Marshall Service in Courthouse Security.

Nate finally retired in 1995 and life became more leisurely. He was able to pursue his hobbies full-time. He loved to golf (even achieving a “hole in one” in 2000). Nate enjoyed repairing guns, especially old ones. Nate fished, worked Jigsaw Puzzles, and Cryptograms. He loved to read, books, magazines, and the newspaper. At some point, Nathan started purchasing contents of abandoned storerooms. He was always surprised at the items he found. If he found personal items, like pictures or other mementos, Nate would try to return the items to the owner.

He liked Sunday dinners with his daughter-in-law, Diedra, and his grandchildren. He liked making new friends and keeping touch with life-long friends.

Nate was preceded in death by his parents, Travis and Avo, his wife, Evelyn, his brothers: Thomas Clovis, Clyde Ray (Pete), Paul James, his sisters; Iola, Evelyn (Laverne), and great-grandson, Daine Turner, his sisters-in-law Nellie Bennett Davis, Rachel Bennett Toby, Rita Bennett Moss.

Nate is survived by his son, Nathan Lee Barber, Jr., his sister, Carolyn and her husband Melvin Sturgeon, his daughter-in-law, Diedra Barber, and his grandchildren, Brenda and husband, Alan Lee, Olivia and her husband, Philip Reichelt, Harrison Barber, his great-grandchild, Hunter Pacheco.

He will also be missed by his brothers-in-law, AC Bennett and wife, Linda, Andy Bennett and wife, Linda, and his brother-in-law, Harold Toby; his nephew, David Toby and wife, Sandra, and life-long friends, Bob Wright, and Neal Blount.