Catherine M. Barber

The Honorable Judge Catherine (Cathy) M. Barber, 77 of Xenia, formerly of Fairborn, passed away on Monday, October 7, 2024.

Cathy was born on September 19, 1947 in Wilkes Barre, PA, the daughter of the late Lt. Col. (Ret.) Curvin, Jr. and Ellen (McNally) Miller.  She was born with an adventurous soul and lived in many states in the US as well as several countries growing up as a military dependent.

A 1965 graduate of Fairborn High School, Cathy was active with the National Honor Society, Tri-Hi-Y, and the Prince of Peace speech contest.  She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Honors College of Ohio University in 1969 and earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1979 from the University of Dayton Law School.

She became the first female attorney to have a private law practice in Fairborn.  In 1991 she was appointed as the first referee/magistrate/chief arbitrator to serve the general division of the Greene County Common Pleas Court and in 1995 became the first woman to be elected judge of the Fairborn Municipal Court, serving for twelve years.  Post retirement, she continued to serve many area community courtrooms when there was a need for assistance.

Cathy was a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, past president of the Greene County Bar Association and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Association of Municipal and County Court Judges.  A founding member and past president of the Fairborn Chapter of NOW, she has also been a member of the Fairborn Republican Women’s Club, the Fairborn and Beavercreek Chamber of Commerce and a Paul Harris Fellow of the Fairborn Rotary.  A former board member of the Greene County United Way, she was an initial inductee into “Women of Renown Around Town”, a 2002 inductee into the Fairborn City Schools’ Hall of Honor and was the Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival Queen in 2008.

Cathy’s love for travel continued throughout her life as she visited 87 countries and her ability to speak 5 languages often helped during her journeys.  She also had a fondness for Las Vegas where she and her husband had a second home.  Cathy was an avid reader and had several first edition books, with a favorite being her collection of Gone with the Wind books.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by a daughter, Jennifer L. Barber.  She is survived by her husband of 40 years, Ronald C. Russell; daughter, Beth A. (Jon) Varley; brother, Curvin E. III  (Louisa) Miller; bonus children, Melissa S. Russell, Robert D. (Michelle) Russell, Bradley S. (Heather) Russell and many loving grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She was also surrounded by her life-long girlfriends (the Ya-Yas), Karen Poland, Ceal Frank and PattyLou Garinger as well as Emily Miller, her special niece.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday October 16, 2024 at 6:00 P.M. at the Belton-Stroup Funeral Home, 422 E. Dayton-Yellow Springs Rd., Fairborn.  The family will receive friends from 4:00 P.M. until the time of service at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please direct memorial contributions to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton.