George H Barber

January 3, 1931 - May 6, 2019

George H. Barber, 88 of Guilderland, passed away on May 6, 2019. George was born in Albany, the son of George and Annice Barber. He graduated from Vincentian Institute, Siena College and Albany Law School. With the untimely death of his father when he was 7 years old, George, as a young teenager, helped support his family as a longshoreman at the Port of Albany and loading planes for Mohawk Airlines, and playing trombone in dance bands. George devoted his legal career to handling criminal and civil appeals. For more than 20 years, he led the appeals bureau at the Albany County District Attorney’s office and concluded his career with 87 oral arguments in the NYS Court of Appeals, the State’s highest court. At his retirement in 1998, George was considered “the dean of appeals lawyers.” George had great sensitivity to all humankind and a deep belief in justice, mercy and compassion for all. He was one of the founders of Albany Maritime Ministries, an ecumenical group of volunteers ministering to spiritual, family and practical needs of sailors on ships arriving at the Port. He was a volunteer for St. Patrick’s Church soup kitchen, making early morning pickups of bread and baked goods donated by local businesses. George loved cooking, baking, history, reading, music and attending daily Mass with his wife Mary, who recently passed away. George is predeceased by his brother Richard Barber (Angeline), sisters-in-laws Helen (Larry) Mackey and Edith Beckerle. He is survived by his sister Annice Barber, his sister-in-law Alma Feeney (Anthony), his children Herb Barber, Matthew Barber, Peter (Cathy) Barber, Kathryn Barber, Mary (Mark) Giordano, his grandchildren Elizabeth and Gregory Barber, and Therese, Joseph, Kathryn and John Giordano. On Tuesday, May 14th, both calling hours from 8:30am-10:00am and a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30am will be held at The Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Americas (formerly St. Patrick’s), 273 Central Avenue, Albany. Interment will be at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery. Donations may be made in George’s memory to Family Promise of the Capital Region, 738 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY. George’s family extends gratitude to Janice and Kevin Burgess, Phillip Burgess, Wynette Hughes and Jenny Rodriguez for the loving care given to Mary and George.