Obituary of Gene Barber

Gene Barber, 73, of Hammonton, passed away on January 15, 2025, at his residence after a lengthy illness. Gene was a 1969 graduate of Paulsboro High School, Gene's connection with wrestling spanned over 40 years before he retired as Absegami High School's head coach following the 2010 season. Barber achieved success at the high school level as a District 29 Champion and the Outstanding Wrestler Award recipient in that tournament. A third-place finisher in Region 8 as a senior (in the days when only the champion advanced to the state tournament), Gene went on to more success at the next level when he finished second in the Junior College Nationals for Camden County College in 1971. More success followed him at Trenton State College (The College of New Jersey today) where he was a two-time College Division All-American (placing third in the Division III Nationals in 1972 and 1973) and an 11-time Hall of Famer. He earned a trip to the Division I Nationals as a senior and finished second at that level. The chance to excel at yet another level arrived when he was hired as a physical education teacher and head wrestling coach at Absegami High School for the 1977-78 school year. Over a span of 33 years as the head coach at Absegami, Barber's teams compiled a 507-137-4 record. His teams won four New Jersey State Group IV Championships and Absegami was the No. 1 team in the state in 2002-03-04 and was ranked as high as No. 4 in the country. In successive years from 2001 through 2004, Barber's teams went 22-0, 21-0-1, 23-0 and 23-0. Barber had six South Jersey Group IV Sectional Championships, eight NJSIAA individual state champions, 16 100-win wrestlers, 46 regional champions, and 129 district champions. His team won 18 Cape-Atlantic League titles. He was honored as a Region 8 Coach of the Year on five occasions and was also selected as New Jersey Coach of the Year once. The 2004 USA Wrestling Man of the Year, he received a Unico Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. Additional recognitions to be bestowed on Barber were inductions into the following: South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame, Paulsboro High School Sports Hall of Fame, Camden County College Hall of Fame, TCNJ Hall of Fame, National Junior College Hall of Fame and Gloucester County Sports Hall of Fame. His legacy will remain within the NJ Scholastic Wrestling Community. Gene was predeceased by his parents, Tony and Mary Barber, his brothers, Larry and Butch and his niece Michelle. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Kathy Barber (nee Bloxsom), his children, Matt (Darcy), Gina (Drew), Michael (Amy) and his beloved grandchildren, Logan, Emma, and Landon. He is also survived by his nieces, Eileen McNally and Joanne Barber and his nephews, Larry and Jason Barber. He will be greatly missed by all that knew and loved him. Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, January 21, 2025, 11:00am at the Carnesale Funeral Home, 202 S. Third St., Hammonton, NJ. Entombment will follow in Greenmount Cemetery, Hasmmonton. Viewings will be held Monday, January 20, 2025, from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM and again on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, from 9:00 am – 11:00am at the Carnesale Funeral Home.