My Father

Well I wrote an Overcoming the Odds Article on my Mother.  It's only fitting that I write an Overcoming the Odds Article on my late Father, Judge Frank D. Barber during Father's Day Weekend.  I am writing this as I myself am Overcoming some personal odds of my own and I dont know what the future holds for me.  My father Overcame many odds throughout his life.  Where he started in life and where he ended up is simply amazing.  My father was born to an Italian Immigrant from Naples, Italy Francesco Barbarisi.  His mother's family had just immigrated from Sicily through New Orleans.  Growing up in South Mississippi during the 30s and 40s, it was a difficult time for my father as many people in his family couldnt speak English very well.  In addition, there was somewhat of an Anti-Catholic Stance that existed in Mississippi against Italian, Hispanic and even Irish Catholics.  In addition, my father came from a Lower Middle Class Background, not Poor but not Well off by any Means. However,  I wont discuss social or political issues in this post as I refuse to display my views on social media. My dad took it upon himself to try to master the English language as much as possible and become a perfectionist in the use of correct grammar.  He spent many a time in the Hattiesburg Public Library reading thousands upon thousands of books.  How ironic in that one day I would work in a library.  My father attended St. Joseph Seminary in Louisiana during High School where he studied to be a priest.  Before his Senior Year, he decided he didnt want to become a priest and finished at Hattiesburg High.  He entered college at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) after he discovered he couldnt afford it anymore.  It was there that he entered the military where he learned many work ethics and propaganda that would serve him well throughout the rest of his life.  Later on, he was called in to service in Germany during Korea.  My father returned to college at the University of Southern Mississippi, where I would receive both my Bachelors and Masters Degrees.  It was during this time my father realized he had a knack for both reading people and public speaking.  He would eventually become Student President at the University of Southern Mississippi.  My father would face various personal and professional obstacles that prevented him from finishing Law School and winning various political offices.  However, he finished Law school at George Washington University.  Entering into the field of politics, he became State Representative of Forrest County.  There were many times my father ran for things and lost.  He had a Premature run for the Lieutenant Governor in the late 1960's as well as an unsuccessful run for Public Service Commissioner and as a Supreme Court Judge in Mississippi.  However, my father always learned that no matter how many times you fell down you got back up and got back in the race. Whether he was practicing law or serving as Assistant to U.S. Senator James O. Eastland, Frank Barber learned from his mistakes and kept moving forward. One of his most successful runs for his political office came in 1994 when he was elected to the Mississippi Court of Appeals which had just been established in the state of Mississippi.  This was his last position when he died.  No matter how many times he lost or how many personal problems he faced, my father rose to the challenge and accepted defeat with dignity.  His acceptance of defeat made his Victories even that more meaningful, or even when he was sworn in as Secretary of Senate under then Lieutenant Governor Brad Dye.  My father's life started out in a family of Italian Immigrants with a lower middle class background, many of whom couldnt speak English very well.  His life ended with a storied political career in the state of Mississippi and a life of public service that was revered by many.  I would say he was definitely a man who Overcame the Odds.  Here is a link to an Oral History he did with the University of Southern Mississippi if you wish to further study his career.  http://digilib.usm.edu/cdm/ref/collection/coh/id/8753