Dr. Adeline Wilhelmina Zachert Barber

Moultrie - Dr. Adeline Wilhelmina Zachert Barber, a loving mother, wife and southern educator, died in her sleep at her son's home in Atlanta after a long battle with cancer early Monday morning November 29, 2004. She was 82 years old. She coordinated the introduction of an integrated Head Start program in Georgia, the Carolinas and other states across U.S., when this was one of the first integrated education programs in the South.
She was born in the same bed as her mother (Cora Harrison Goneke Massee) on the Massee farm near Springdale in Randolph County. Her father was the late Reverend Reinhold Edward Zachert who pastored many rural Baptist churches in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
She attended grade school in Brinson Georgia and high school in Bainbridge Georgia. She earned a Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude from Bessie Tift College in Forsyth.
After graduating she taught high school mathematics and science first in Hogansville, Georgia and then for several years in Moultrie, Georgia. Then she earned a Masters in Religious Education from the WMU training school of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She returned to Moultrie to become the first female youth director in Georgia for the Southern Baptist Convention, under Dr. Dick Gresham, Pastor.
In the Korean War she was stationed in Japan for two years where she served with the American Red Cross as a hospital recreation worker.
She married Leroy Robert Barber, Sr. on August 23, 1953. They had three children; Leroy Robert Barber, Jr. (Rel), Edward Zachert Barber (Lu), Myrtle (Kiki) Louise Barber Vanek (Bill), and they also had two foster children they loved and treasured as their own; Hans Jergen Seezen (Karen), and Haydee Torres Grube (Charles).
In 1965 following the death of her husband, she was appointed Director of the Colquitt County Office of Economic Opportunity, Child Care Program. This later became the Full Year Head Start Program. In 1968 she enrolled in the Early Childhood Education graduate program at the University of Georgia. In less than 16 months she had earned her Ed.D., while developing the Follow Through materials that were used worldwide in early childhood education programs.
She was appointed to the faculty of the University of Georgia, where she earned the rank of Associate Professor, and coordinated the Follow Through Program. In 1974 she moved to Armstrong State College where she earned the rank of Professor of Early Childhood Education. She served at Armstrong State until December 1978 when she married Leo Thomas Barber, Sr.
Upon her marriage to Leo Barber she resigned and moved from her Hilton Head, SC home to Moultrie, Georgia to be with her husband until his death in 1987. From this marriage she gained 5 stepchildren; Leo Thomas Barber, Jr. (Ann), Sue Appleby Barber Fontenot, Jean Barber Crawford (Jule), Albert White Barber (Joyce), and Marion Louise Barber Mann (Terry).
In 1993 she moved from Moultrie to Baton Rouge, LA to be near her daughter, Kiki's family. In 1997 the family moved to Wilmington, NC and she established a home nearby at Sunset Beach. NC. Her residence floated between the two homes until her death.
Dr. Barber is survived from her first marriage by 5 children, 12 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren and from her second marriage by 1 child, 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. She is also survived by her three siblings Edward Goneke Zachert (MarthaJane) of Tallahasse, FL, Virginia Zachert of Evans, GA, Lucia Zachert Ladson (Lonnie) of Albertville, AL. Like children in her heart, were a whole host of nieces, nephews, godchildren, cousins, and other dear ones.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday December 2nd at 10:00 am at the Masonboro Baptist Church in Wilmington, NC. Family will receive guests Friday December 3rd from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the Harrell-Faircloth Funeral Home in Moultrie, GA. The funeral will be held Saturday December 4th 11:00 am at the Trinity Baptist Church with Dr. Jimmy Elder officiating. Internment will follow the service. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Noah's Ark Childcare Center in Wilmington, NC., Whitefield Academy Lower School of Mableton, GA, or Trinity Baptist Church Student Ministry in Moultrie, GA. Also, cherished would be letters telling a story from her life.
Funeral Home: Harrell-Faircloth Funeral Home