Bob J. Barbree, 72

Retired Bank President

Bob J. Barbree, 72, of Lakeland, Fla., succumbed to complications from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Thursday, May 30, 2013, at Lakeland Regional Memorial Hospital. Born Jan. 27, 1941, in Chattahoochee, Fla., he was the son of the late Johnathan F. and Cecil Mae Dickson Barbree.

As a child, Bob excelled academically and athletically at Chattahoochee High School where he was a class officer, a band captain, a member of the “C” Club, a two-year member of the All Panhandle Conference for football and a member of the 1958 All State football team prior to his graduation in 1959.

After high school, Bob enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served as a Photo Intelligence Specialist. Upon his honorary discharge, Bob began his lifelong career in finance and banking at Commercial National Bank in Shreveport, La. In 1974 he moved to Fort Myers, Fla., to work for a bank that became Barnett Bank in Lee County. He finished his graduate degree of banking from LSU in 1975, and was appointed Chief Operating Officer during this time.

From 1985 to 1992, Bob was named president of Barnett Bank in Northwest Florida. He was an active member of the Ft. Walton — Okaloosa County community serving on the boards of Okaloosa-Walton County Community College and the United States Air Force Museum Foundation. He was president of the Economic Development Council in Okaloosa County, a member of the Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow.

Bob moved to Lakeland in 1992 where he served as president of Barnett Bank in Polk County. Under Bob’s leadership, Barnett Bank in Polk County was named “Bank of the Year” for the Barnett family of banks. Bob was active in the Lakeland community until his retirement from banking in 1998. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Polk Museum of Art, the Chamber of Commerce and the Lakeland Economic Development Council. He was also active at Florida Southern College as a member of the Six Man Club and the President’s Advisory Council. After retirement he continued to be an active member of Lone Palm Golf Club and of St. David’s Episcopal Church where he has served as a Vestry Member and a Sub Deacon.

He was an instrument rated pilot, an avid outdoorsman, and an accomplished skier but, more than any other activity, Bob loved to play golf and cherished his time spent with friends and family on the links.

Bob is survived by his wife, Michelle of 30 years; daughter Deborah (Don) Pence of Post Falls; daughter Stephanie (Chris) Summers of Benton Louisiana; son Bryan (Bethany) Barbree of Lakeland; his loving grandchildren, Rusty (Sara) Pence, Taylor Norbeck, Paige Pence, Nicholas Fulco and Peyton Singletary; his sister, Patricia Barbree Butler of Valdosta, Ga.; and his sister-in-law, Eleanor Barbree of Crawfordville, Fla.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Joe Barbree of Crawfordville, Fla.; his half-sister, Connie McDavid of Birmingham, Ala.; and his granddaughter, Addison Summers of Benton, La.

Funeral services will be held at noon Saturday, June 8, 2013, at St. David’s Episcopal Church with Reverend Robert Moses officiating.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to a charity of your choice or the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101-9929 or St. David’s Episcopal Church, 145 East Edgewood Drive, Lakeland, FL 33803-4014.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.heathfuneralchapel.com.