OBITUARY: Edward Michael Barber, 70, dies Jan. 12, 2014

Edward Michael Barber, 70, passed away peacefully in his sleep at home and joined his Heavenly Father on Jan. 12, 2014, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born Sept. 14, 1943, in San Diego to Burton and Marian Barber.

He was raised in LaMarque, Texas, and graduated from high school there in 1961. After graduation, Mike attended Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, Texas, on a basketball scholarship.

Mike married his high school sweetheart, Sharon Kay Sweeney, on April 3, 1964, and they had two daughters, Terri Lynne Barber-Wilkes and Tracy Leigh Barber. They raised their family in the Houston and Spring areas and spent one year in Alabama.

Mike was a successful businessman and spent more than 40 years in sales and sales management during his career.

He was a member of Woodland Place Baptist Church, where he had recently started a ministry by visiting people in local assisted-living facilities. He was known for his desire to share the word of God with those he met and reaching out to help others.

Mike enjoyed football, basketball, golf, woodworking, photography, riding in his classic car, traveling with his wife, Sharon, and spending time with his children and grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy Burton Barber and Florence Marian Barber.

Survivors include his wife and soulmate, Sharon Barber of Conroe; daughters, Terri Barber-Wilkes and husband Lonnie of Burnet and Tracy Barber of Arlington; four grandchildren, Garrett Michael Wilkes of Bryan, Lynzie Elaine Wilkes of Burnet and Joshua Davoli and Jeremiah Barber of Arlington; sister, Rhojean Arnold and husband Billy of Weatherford; and uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and numerous friends.