LTC (Ret) Dennis Barba
57, Leavenworth
LTC (Ret) Dennis Lynn Barba passed away on Sunday, May 1, 2011 from brain cancer at the age of 57. Dennis was born on November 13, 1953 to Jack and Josephine Barba in Concordia, Kansas. Faith in God, sense of duty, sense of humor, and persistence in the face of adversity were his hallmarks.
He joined U.S. Army ROTC in 1971 as one of the first cadets at the Cloud County Community College ROTC detachment. He attended Kansas State University from 1973-1975, where he met his wife Pam. Commissioned in 1975, he spent six-months at Ft. Benning, Georgia, learning how to conduct small unit tactics to include Airborne and Ranger operations.
In 1976 he shipped out to Korea for his first assignment and was witness to the Panmunjon Tree Trimming incident where two U.S. officers were killed with ax handles. From 1977-1980 he lead a Pathfinder unity of 11 men at Schwaebish Hall, Germany. He later attended flight school at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, served in the Big Red One at Ft. Riley, Kansas and returned to Ft. Rucker in 1984. In 1987, he was assigned to the G-4 staff at VII Corps headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany and later moved to the 7-159th Aviation Regiment at Nelligen as the unit executive officer just before deployment to Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm.
In 1991, he attended the Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. He served as an instructor at CGSC for the Department of Logistics & Resources until 1996 when he became the U.S. Student Division leader.
Dennis retired from the U.S. Army in 1997 after 22 years of service. He worked for Cancer American and American Worksite Marketing until he returned to the Command and General Staff College as an instructor in 2004. In his spare time he coached wrestling at Immaculata High School and taught management classes for the University of Upper Iowa, Park University and the University of Mary.
He was an active member of St. Ignatius Parish where he served as Parish Council President and assisted in forming the St. Ignatius Knights of Columbus in 2003. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Pamela Sue (Whitesell) Barba, daughter Loreal (Duane) Guenther and son, Dennis Andrew “Drew” Barba as well as three grandsons, Dylan, Damien and Devin Guenther, father Jack Barba, sisters CindyShanahan, Linda Cottam, Denice Fitzgerald Barba, and Kathy Barba, brothers, John Barba, Pat Barba, Mike Barba and Kevin Barba and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his mother Josephine Barba and daughter Coreen Barba.
A Rosary will begin at 8 A.M. Friday, May 6, at St. Joseph Church followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 A.M.  Interment with full Military Honors will follow in the Leavenworth National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care, 9221 Ward Pkwy, Ste 100, Kansas City, Missouri 64114-9808 or Kansans for Life, 2501 E. central, Wichita, Kansas 6721.