John William Baber Jr., 86, of Lyndhurst, passed away Monday, February 3, 2014, at Augusta Health. John was born February 1, 1928, in Albemarle County; he was the son of the late John William Baber Sr. and Lillian (Robertson) Baber. On September 9, 1950, he married the love of his life, Betty (Jennings) Baber. The two shared a blessed union of 63 years together. In 1969, John went into business for himself and opened Baber's Heating and Air. After passing the business to his son, he began to volunteer his time with Sherando Lake Campground and had continued to do so for the last 19 years. He was a faithful member of Sherando United Methodist Church, Stuarts Draft. As a church member, John served as a trustee and a board member, a member of the United Methodist Mens Group and was head of the maintenance committee. In his spare time, he and his wife, Betty enjoyed RVing with their many special friends and he also enjoyed wood working. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by siblings, Barbara Collins, and Dennis Baber. In addition to his loving wife, survivors include his children, Carolyn Bartley Campbell and husband, Jesse of Catawba, Virginia, and J.W. Baber III and wife, Wendy of Lyndhurst; grandchildren, R.E. Bartley II and wife, Romonda of Vinton, Virginia, Michael Bartley and wife, Crystal of Waynesboro, Travis Baber and girlfriend, Lindsay Gill of Lyndhurst, Trevor Baber of Lyndhurst, and Barbara Richards of Mercer, Pennsylvania; great-grandchildren, Brittny and Blake Bartley of Vinton, Virginia, Vanessa and Allison Bartley of Waynesboro, and Andrew Meager of Mercer, Pennsylvania; siblings, Margaret Crouch of West Memphis, Arkansas, Melvin L. Baber of Waynesboro, and Kenneth W. Baber and wife, Phyllis of Marlinton, West Virginia; numerous nieces and nephews; as well as his many friends, as he never met a stranger. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, February 8, 2014, at Sherando United Methodist Church with the Reverend Clayton Payne officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery. Active pallbearers will be Rodney Johnson, Barry Robertson, Raymond Taylor, Skippy Lunsford, Sonny Harvey, Kenny Peters, Jeff Alamarode, Ron Hunt, and Tommy Coiner. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday, February 7, 2014, at the Waynesboro Chapel of Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes.
The News Virginian, February 6, 2014