The publication is reproduced in full below:
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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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 33
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