“I have no mother now. I have no father. I cannot bring another brother to the world.” — Antigone
You got him at last, Mars, Lord of War. My bro cheated your curses for 56 years but you finally took him last week, you devil’s spawn of rabid dogs.
In his final days, you mocked him with your dandy little sport in Ukraine. Then, you shamed him with the beginnings of what is evolving into World War Three in the formerly holy land. At least he missed the global expansion of the violence. He was on life support by then.
His name was Larry Barbano, make sure you get it right. Lawrence Vincent Barbano, 75, would have made 76 in December. He came home despite everything you threw at him in Vietnam. He beat our family inheritance of diabetes, then you forced him to live a year under Agent Orange, so he contracted it anyway, not the only residual he carried home.
Lord Mars, your cruel jokes, like your legions, are legion. My brother was nominated for a Silver Star for charging into heavy fire when his second lieutenant screamed “we need a machine gun on the right flank.”
He didn’t hesitate, running directly into a hail of bullets, saving his pinned-down platoon. Somebody in the brass gave that lieutenant the medal instead.
My bro always outworked me. He used his Fresno Bee paper boy earnings to buy the coolest metallic blue 1960 Olds convertible, complete with chrome reverse rims and baby moons.
My bro worked his way through Fresno State, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees and spending the rest of his life caring for veterans — before he needed them to care for him. He counseled old soldiers in both southern and northern California and attended many gatherings across the country.
He lived a stone’s throw from a Mountain View, Calif., Bay Area Rapid Transit station so he and family members could quickly ride to SF Giants games. He also spent a few summers in these parts, working alongside me to elect Democrats.
He was a humble man. When his unit at the Loma Linda VA medical center received national attention, he pointedly avoided the cameras of NBC’s Today Show. Keep the focus on the patients.
Life support was removed at 12:45 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center in Menlo Park. His wife, Dr. Donna Horn, was by his side. My nephew Mark and his wife, Molly, looked on from Oregon.
He was going to move there but since he didn’t make it, he will be interred at the Igo, Calif., vets cemetery near Redding. He wanted to stay in his home state. Igo is the closest facility to Oregon so his family can visit more easily. He leaves two grandchildren, numerous Barbanos and countless Italian cousins worldwide, and me.
A full obituary will be posted at Barbano.org/
LADIES OF THE VALLEY. This Saturday Oct. 28 marks the anniversary of the passing of noted Nevada educator Beth Elise Jacobs, 91. She taught mostly at the high school level in Ely, Fallon and Gerlach. Among her stellar students she counted recently retired Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Dale Erquiaga and U.S. Army Brigadier and Nevada Army Guard Assistant Adjutant General Mike Hanifan, Ret. Full obituary at BethNVedu.org/
Nevada education lost another star with the passing of Roy Gomm Elementary’s Sue White Broderdorf Oddo, 84. Her memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal in Sparks, 11:00 a.m. this Saturday, Oct. 28 — exactly a year after her colleague’s adios.
Beth and Sue were my longtime neighbors and left our ‘hood permanent mementoes, a glorious Rose of Sharon and a mini-forest including two evergreens, now more than 25 feet high.
Mrs. Vegetable completes this classroom hat trick. Jane Klump, who died April 28 at 87, taught for 30 years at Sparks’ Greenbrae Elementary. I worked on talk radio with her late husband Gene, famous on all media as Nevada’s Mr. Vegetable. (Barbwire 2-14-2010) The union musician was an ingenious gardener and expert climatologist. Gene and Jane were mainstays in a campaign that planted now-mature trees and shrubs along much of the southeast McCarran loop.
Adios, mi familia.
Stay safe, get vaxxed and pray for those cruelly afflicted by the cruelly small minds on this small planet, especially victims of our perpetual wars.
Happy Hallowe’en / All Hallows Eve / All Souls Day/ All Saints Day/ Dia de los Muertos and Nevada Day.
Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno.
Andrew Quarantino Barbáno is a 54-year Nevadan and editor of NevadaLabor.com where links to all of the above may be accessed. Barbwire by Barbano has originated in the Tribune since 1988. E-mail barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us Opening quote from the title character of “Antigone” by Sophocles (c.496-c.406 BC)
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