Bob J Barbree

Bob J Barbree, 72 Retired Bank President Lakeland - Bob J. Barbree, 72, of Lakeland, Florida succumbed to complications from Hodgkin""s Lymphoma Thursday, May 30, 2013 at Lakeland Regional Memorial Hospital. Born January 27, 1941 in Chattahoochee, Florida, 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 life long career in finance and banking at Commercial National Bank in Shreveport, LA. In 1974 he moved to Fort Myers, FL to work for a bank that became Barnett Bank of 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 of 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 of Okaloosa County, a member of the Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. Bob moved to Lakeland, Florida in 1992 where he served as President of Barnett Bank of Polk County. Under Bob\'s leadership, Barnett Bank of 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, Idaho, daughter, Stephanie (Chris) Summers of Benton Louisiana, son, Bryan (Bethany) Barbree of Lakeland Florida, his loving grandchildren, Rusty (Sara) Pence, Taylor Norbeck, Paige Pence, Nicholas Fulco and Peyton Singletary, his sister, Patricia Barbree Butler of Valdosta Georgia, and his sister-in-law, Eleanor Barbree of Crawfordville, Florida, and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Joe Barbree, Crawfordville, FL; his half-sister, Connie McDavid, Birmingham, AL; and his granddaughter, Addison Summers, Benton, La. Funeral Services will be held at 12 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 Dr., Lakeland, FL, 33803-4014. Service: 06/08/2013 St. David\'s Episcopal Church 145 East Edgewood Drive, Lakeland, FL