Baby William

Sharing: A Practice for Family Connection

Baby William Barber was still-born on July 11, 1997 to Bill and Melinda Barber. He was fifth in line to the name William Barber, and with him, the family name, ”Barber” passes out of existence since there have been no other male children born to the Barber sons. The Barber family acknowledges the fittingness of this passage. The first William Barber was an outstanding attorney in central Texas in the early years of the twentieth century. The second William Barber, Baby William’s great grandfather, pursued various vocations in Texas and elsewhere, but struggled through a life of alcoholism and smoking and never realized his full potential. William Barber III is also a renowned attorney, licensed to practice in Texas and Colorado, a member of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and published legal author. Baby William’s father is William IV, a world-recognized trademark attorney and managing partner in the law firm Pirkey Barber. Bill and Melinda had one child, Robyn, when Baby William was still-born, and have since had two other daughters, Elyse and Melynn.

Although, at the time, the impact made by Baby William’s still-birth was devastating to the Barber family, a conscious choice was made then and continues to be made each year, to celebrate his small life in a large way. There are those families, having suffered through similar situations, whose experience has been altered by the Barbers’ sharing of theirs. They continue, through their faithful contributions to the Caroline Fund, to support some of these families in Baby William’s name.