Wade Barber’s family members and long-time friends, plus local government officials and community professionals, gathered Tuesday, August 27 at Northwood Landing, to dedicate the new Wade Barber Park, a 2.5-acre wooded area with paved walkways and benches.
Fondness and reverence for Barber was palpable amongst the 50+ attendees as Kirk Bradley, Susan Keller and Edward Holmes shared personal and professional stories about Barber.
“Wade was a great friend both personally and professionally. He would have appreciated this park because he was a true environmentalist and good at creating a sense of community,” said Bradley, developer of Northwood Landing.
Barber’s nephew Edward shared that Barber “loved to discover special outdoor spaces and to explore the woods of Chatham County.” He also reflected on Barber’s love of woodworking, often securing knotty downed wood on his walks, in order to craft bowls.
“This is such a fitting gesture for the way Wade lived,” said Holmes. “Just like the trees in this park that have deep roots, Wade’s roots go deep into Chatham County for several generations.”
With Edward and Wade’s daughter Liz Barber by his side, Bradley read a plaque installed in a boulder at the park’s entrance. The plaque captures the impact Wade Barber had on his community and family:
Humanitarian, naturalist, world traveler, woodworker
Lawyer, district attorney, superior court judge
Defender of the dignity of each individual
Beloved son, husband, father, grandpap, brother, uncle, friend
Native and lifelong champion of Pittsboro and Chatham County
This park is dedicated in his memory.
Wade Barber Park is located in Northwood Landing, adjacent to MOSAIC at Chatham Park. Community members are invited to walk its trails.
