[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 33 (Monday, February 22, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                   HONORING THE LIFE OF GENE BARBERET

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 22, 2021

  Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, it is with great regret that I rise 
today to mourn and observe the passing of an eternal educator, Dr. Gene 
Barberet of Mansfield, Connecticut. Having lived a full and active 
life, Gene passed away on his 101st birthday on January 11, 2021 due to 
complications related to the coronavirus.
  Gene's life was intrinsically American, and he dedicated his life to 
professorial teaching and sharpening of the mind. To this end, Gene 
contributed a palpable value toward the strength and productivity of 
eastern Connecticut's community, the region I have the honor of 
representing. Dr. Barberet, a first-generation scholar born to parents 
who immigrated from Alsace, France, was always eager to observe and 
take from his environment as the youngest of eight siblings. His story 
will be remembered by many as one of vigor, decency, and a passion for 
cultural enrichment.
  As a lifelong learner, Gene was always destined to become the wisest 
of educators. His potential in the education industry was reflected 
from the start, such as when he graduated co-valedictorian from 
Watertown High School in his hometown of Oakville, Connecticut. His 
deep French roots struck a clear cord with him from early on as well, 
motivating then Mr. Barberet to achieve a bachelors degree in French 
studies in 1941. Taking a break from his studies, Gene heeded the call 
to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Upon his 
return from the war, however, Gene resumed a determined effort to 
expand upon his roots--transitioning his education to Princeton 
University and going on to achieve a masters and subsequent doctoral 
degree in French literature by 1951.
  Not one to let knowledge go to waste, Gene brought his specialization 
back to our home state of Connecticut before obtaining his doctoral 
degree in 1949, marking the genesis of a career in sharing his 
experience as a faculty of the University of Connecticut (UConn). Dr. 
Barberet went on to educate French Literature within UConn's Department 
of Modern and Classical Languages, building a true and personal 
connection to the University over the course of 40 years. He achieved 
this not by simply mastering lectures, but also by broadening his 
perspective alongside the very students he taught. As a professor, he 
personally oversaw the University's year long study abroad program to 
France, journeying with students across the Atlantic to better 
understand the international community and our place in it. Dr. 
Barberet's impact cannot be understated--throughout his long tenure he 
was recognized by a variety of honors and accolades, eventually even 
becoming knighted as a chevalier by the French government for his 
contributions to the nation's culture. As a fondly remembered mentor 
and a scholar, multiple scholarship funds were established under the 
University in his name to support excellence in French.
  Dr. Barberet retired from UConn in 1990 as a revered professor 
emeritus. Though UConn will always be his home, it should be noted that 
he engaged in a gregarious retirement, frequently travelling back to 
his heritage in France as we II as other stints in Europe. He never 
gave up on the affinity for education either, acting as a volunteer 
teacher at the Donald Bergin Correction Institution, a board member of 
the Center for Learning in Retirement, and even initiating a weekly 
French conversational circle at the Mansfield Senior Center well into 
his latest years. Dr. Barberet touched the lives of many who hail from 
eastern Connecticut.
  Madam Speaker, it is an honor to represent constituents as monumental 
and influential as Gene. His legacy is a lasting and tangible one, 
having expanded horizons for not only himself, but the lives of 
thousands of students, colleagues, and friends. While we all mourn his 
loss, we can at least find solace that his story, memory and purpose 
lives on in the lives of countless others. Therefore, I find it fitting 
that we as a institutional body set his name and character further into 
stone. I ask that the entire House join me in recognizing the life of 
Dr. Gene Barberet and never forgetting that the best educators--and by 
extension leaders--never end their quest of learning.

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