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Obituary for Arthur C. Barbati
Veteran Social Worker Labor Advocate
Arthur C. Barbati, of Highland Township, Michigan, passed away on Friday, April 10, 2015. Mr. Barbati was 82. Arthur was born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan. Loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather and uncle. Art was a Korean War veteran serving in the U.S. Air Force both in Korea and Texas. Art retired from Michigan's Department of Social Services after many dedicated years of service. He's a co-founder of the Welfare Employees Union and was twice president of WEU. After his retirement, Art worked for the United Farm Workers of America at their office in Detroit. He helped organize UFW President Cesar Chavez's speaking tour at the Walter P. Reuther Library on the campus of Wayne State University, and at several other Michigan universities in the 1980s. Art was a civil rights advocate who truly believed all people were created equal. He was an avid bicyclist. Art rode his 10-speed bicycle from Detroit to Denver in the early 1980s. His second cross country trip took him from Detroit to Flagstaff, Arizona, two years later. Art is preceded in death by his father Arthur, mother Opal; sisters Margie and Delores; nephew Ron Gibbs; aunt Michalina (Mickey) Crowell, and cousin Frank Crowell. He is survived by his ex-wife Cleo; sons: Brian Barbati and his wife Ann; Duane Barbati; and Shawn Friday and his wife Darcy; granddaughter Christine Halliday and her husband Brandon; great-grandchildren Christian Mark and Calley Mae; nephew Gregg Gibbs and his wife Ann; and their children Alex and Emily. With all our love Art, we will miss your smile, laugh, generosity and social conscious dearly. Thank you for being our father.
A Memorial Service will be held from Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 404 E. Liberty St. Milford on Saturday, April 18 at 2:00 PM with gathering to begin one hour prior.
Memorial contributions encouraged to the Alzheimer�s Association.
For further information, please phone Lynch & Sons, Milford at 248.684.6645.
