THE THIN BLUE LINE

POLICE LIFEGUARD RALPH E. BARBER Jr.

SDPD 05/27/1944 - PENDING

09/27/1926 - 07/08/2010

Ralph Edward Barber Jr. was born at Mercy Hospital in San Diego.

Ralph lived in Golden Hill until high school. He attended Brooklyn Elementary and Roosevelt Junior High. The family moved to Pacific Beach when he was 14. He attended La Jolla High School, graduating in 1944.

Ralph was a lifeguard in Mission Beach.

In 1944, he was drafted into the Navy, and stationed at 32nd Street Naval Station. He was honorably discharged in 1946 and entered San Diego State College. Ralph participated in many sports in college including crew, baseball, football and wrestling. He belonged to the Omega Xi (Kappa Alpha) fraternity. Ralph graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, and began his career as a civil engineer, which he would pursue for 35 years.

He met his lovely bride of 58 years, Nancy McCartney, at SDSC. They were married in June of 1952. That same year he joined the Navy Reserves as a SEEBEE. In 1966 Ralph spent a year in Vietnam with the Navy. He retired from the Naval Reserves in 1979, at the rank of Captain, while he was working for Otay Water District. He retired from Otay in the 1980s and spent 20+ years enjoying his retirement, skiing, surfing, playing golf and hanging out with his grandsons.

He was involved in many different groups over his lifetime, including Kappa Alpha/Omega Xi alumni, Aztec Alumni and Athletic Foundation, San Diego Ski Club and OMBAC. He was an active member of St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, daughter, Erin, three grandsons, two sisters and four nieces. He was a loving, wonderful man who would do anything for those he knew. He will be greatly missed by all.

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