David Lyle Barb, 71, died September 25, 2023, at Ascension Via Christi-St. Francis, Wichita, KS. He was born December 20, 1951, in Hutchinson, KS, to David Pat Barb and Roberta Arlene (Goertzen) Barb.
David was a graduate of the Kansas School for the Deaf, Olathe, KS. He was employed as a hydraulic tester at Eaton Corporation, formerly Cessna Power Fluid Division, Hutchinson, KS, retiring with 37 years of service.
David was a big deal to a lot of people. He had many inside jokes with coworkers and made everyone smile. He looked forward to the pranks, teasing, and making his siblings and cousins laugh with his orneriness. In early years he got a kick out of seeing family and friends laugh and scream from chasing them with bugs and pranking them with other shenanigans.
David was a proud member of Hutchinson Association of the Deaf. He was known for many years as ‘Deaf Santa’, bringing joy to the Deaf children. He brought awareness of the Deaf community and was a huge advocate for teaching others sign language.
As years went by, David became involved with the Family Children's Theater being in over 15 plays. His favorite being Harpo Marx where he played Harpo Marx himself. It became a family event doing plays with his mother, nieces, and daughter. Babes in Toyland and Charlotte's Web were two of the favorites that the whole Barb Family were involved with.
When David retired, he became active in the South-Central Association of the Deaf, traveling to Newton monthly and attending Deaf Expos all over the states. In his retirement, he got to spend a lot of time with both his grandchildren who were special to him in different ways. Grandson Parker and David would get a kick out of joking and pranking each other and to prank Kristin, David's daughter. Granddaughter Aly always had tea parties making potions out of marbles that were always there for her to play with in the living room. David would often "listen" to the music that they played on instruments and would pipe in on a song or two with his own flute or drums.
David was a best friend, mentor, coworker, brother, uncle, grandpa and dad. The best Daddy one could ask for. Anybody who met him has many stories and I believe were truly blessed to get to know him.
David is survived by: his daughter, Kristin (John Bryan) Martinez of Hutchinson, KS; grandchildren, John Parker and Alysandra Kiyomi; sister, Dianne (John) Bogle of Hutchinson, KS; brother, Tim (Bobbi) Barb of Wichita, KS; nieces, Angela Cochran, Lisa Bogle, Kendra Bogle, and Brittany (Cory) Bynum; nephews, Trevor (Brittany) Barb and Corbin Barb; and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by: his parents; sister, Leslynn Cochran; numerous aunt and uncles; and the mother of Kristin, Rita Riyoko.
Memorial service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, October 28, 2023, at Elliott Mortuary. Burial will follow in Fairlawn Burial Park, Hutchinson, KS. Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, October 27, 2023, with the family present from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday at Elliott Mortuary. The memorial service can be viewed online beginning at 9:45 a.m. on the day of the service by going to David’s obituary on the Elliott Mortuary website and clicking on the link located at the end of the online obituary.
Click here to view the memorial service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to KSD Endowment to benefit the Kansas School for the Deaf or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in care of Elliott Mortuary and Crematory, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.