Charles Edward "Ed" Barber, age 86, passed away peacefully on March 29, 2026,

at the Margaret Z. Dozier Hospice House, Big Bend Hospice, Inc. in Tallahassee,

FL. Born on October 30, 1939, in Miami, Florida, Ed lived and worked in

Gainesville for many years and began working for The Independent Florida

Alligator while attending The University of Florida in 1963. Over the years, Ed

filled many roles at The Alligator, ultimately as the General Manager and President

of Campus Communications while concurrently working as the publisher of The

High Springs Herald. Ed and his wife, Judy, made Gainesville their home for

many years and were active in a variety of organizations in the community. His

wife Judy passed away in 2004 after almost 44 years of marriage.

Ed married Magdalena Davila in 2009 and lived the last several years of his life in

Tallahassee, FL. In addition to his wife, Ed is survived by his daughter Janet Wood

(Joe), his son Chris Barber (Kendra Halliwell), and his step children Michelle

Davila, Christine Davila-Mir (Jonathon), Denise Davila-Izurieta (Mauricio),

Jacqueline Davila (Shawn French), three grandchildren, eight step-grandchildren, three

great-grandchildren, one step-great-grandchild and several extended family

members.

A memorial service celebrating Ed's life will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at

3:00 PM at the Forest Meadows Funeral Home, Gainesville, Florida. Family and

friends are invited to gather to share memories, honor his legacy, and support one

another during this time of grief.

In Lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Civil Liberties Union,  http://ACLU.org