Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Andrew Clyde “A.C.” Barber, Jr., a resident of Groveton, Texas, and long-time former resident of Orange, passed away on November 24, 2023 at the age of 93.

He was a retired telephone lineman and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps who enjoyed cars, sports, gardening, cats, horses and chihuahuas.

A.C. was born in Orange, Texas in 1930.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Andrew Clyde and Hazel Hathaway Barber, his brothers R.A Barber and Ernest Dorman, Jr., his sister Shirley Currie, and his former wife and the mother of his children, Patricia DeLay.

He is survived by his wife Lorraine of Center, Texas and his sister, Bernice Wade of Orange, Texas.

He is also survived by his daughter Kathryn Barber Finch and husband Dr. Robert Finch of Georgetown, Texas, and son Andrew Clyde Barber, III and wife Kathy of Groveton, Texas and daughter, Asia Spina and husband Austin Spina. He also leaves behind his grandchildren Melanie Mauldin, Kristina Mauldin, Tara Simpson, Clyde Barber, Blaine Barber, Cassie Gomes, and Jessica Gutierrez as well as13 great-grandchildren: Cameron Porter, Sophie Simpson, Elise Simpson, Aaron Barber, Jimmy Barber, Lexi Barber, Kaeli Becke, Alix Becke, David Cordell, Ava Cordell, Michael Gutierrez, Savannah Bogany, and Ace Spina.

A.C. served in the United States Marine Corps from 1949 to 1952.

During the Korean War, he helped construct on-base housing and operations buildings when he was stationed on Guam.

As a telephone lineman he worked primarily in the Orange, Texas area but traveled around the South when called to assist with disaster repairs.

He retired from Southwestern Bell Telephone Company after 33 years of service.

A.C. rode horses in the Orange Jaycee Posse for many years and attended and supported the county rodeos. He loved animals, especially horses and dogs and cats!

Racing cars and restoring his 1957 Chevrolet were loves of his also, and he enjoyed listening to country music.

You could always find him working on a project of some kind. A.C. was also an avid gardener growing lots of fresh vegetables for everyone to enjoy! He loved to cook and eat what he grew in his garden.

If you found fresh tomatoes on your front porch, it was probably A.C. who left them there!

A memorial will be held for A.C. at Parish Cemetery in Little Cypress.