Obituary of James I. Barbier

Barbier, James Midland, Michigan Jim passed away Saturday morning, three weeks after a doctor found a tumor on his bladder, which eventually caused his kidneys to fail. He was 88. His son Jay and daughter-in-law Bunny from Aurora, CO and son Stuart and son-in-law David from Bay City spent much time with him in the hospital and while he was in hospice care. During this time, we were able to tell him how much we loved him and thank him for being such a wonderful and supportive father. Friday afternoon, Associate Pastor Wally Mayton of the Memorial Presbyterian Church came by to pray with him, and during the prayer, our father slightly opened his eyes and smiled, giving us much comfort that he was in peace. Jim led a very rewarding life, golfing, bowling, maintaining a booth at the Bay City Antiques Center, volunteering with The Friends of the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library, traveling, and socializing with his extended family and many friends, bestowing his winning smile upon everyone. Jim graduated from the Edison Institute High School at the Henry Ford Museum in 1946, earned a B.S. in engineering with a major in metallurgy from Michigan Tech, and an MBA from Cornell. He served in the army at the Watertown Arsenal in the 1950s. He married Jackie in 1956 and moved to Midland in 1960, where he worked for the Dow Chemical Company until retirement. Jackie died in 2007. The family thanks his friends for enriching his life and the staff at MidMichigan Medical Center and hospice services and Brookdale Assisted Living for their palliative care. Those wishing to memorialize Jim are asked to consider Eagle Village (4507 170th Ave., Hersey, MI, 49639), Memorial Presbyterian Church (1310 Ashman St., Midland, MI 48640), or a charity of their choice. His family will privately unite his cremains with Jackie's at the Great Lakes National Cemetery.