Eugene C. Barbera, 74; led automotive family

Eugene C. Barbera, 74, patriarch of the Barbera car dealership family in Northeast Philadelphia, died of cancer Saturday at his home in Longport, N.J.

From 1969 to 1979, his son Gary Barbera said, Mr. Barbera owned and operated Gene's Bar at Front and Norris Streets in Kensington.

In the same era, Gary Barbera said, his father bought the former Palm Theater on Frankford Avenue near Norris, which he converted into a car wash.

His daughter, Rosemary Barbera-Villegas, recalled: "My father, because he was a vet, went to Lincoln Tech to become a mechanic, and then bought a church that became Palm Automotive," a car-repair firm across the street from the car wash.

A social work teacher at Monmouth University, she recalled that because her father insisted on hard work on weekends growing up, "I went down and dried cars and pumped gas" - just like her three brothers.

Though he had never gone to college, she said, "he encouraged us all to go after what we wanted."

"When I was finishing my doctorate" in social work at Bryn Mawr College, she said, "I wasn't going to go to my graduation. But he was going to go, so that's why I went."

His son Charles, a physician who is chairman of emergency services at Reading Hospital, said that even though he did not join his two brothers in the car business, "my father encouraged me to work . . . and work hard."

Eugene Jr., who operates the Roosevelt Boulevard dealerships with Gary, said his father and mother went to watch him play football for West Chester University, but the next day, "if I had a day off, I had to go to work," at his father's firms, "no option."

Gary explained that "Gene and I do the car sales, and Dad does the body shop."

Mr. Barbera grew up near 13th and Wolf Streets in South Philadelphia, graduated from South Philadelphia High School. He served in the Army.

At his death, Mr. Barbera also owned an Atlantic City firm, ERB Cab Co., the initials standing for Eugene and Rita Barbera.

Rita, his wife, said they met because "he was working for my father, in truck repairs, in Port Richmond," and at 24, they were married at the behest of family matchmakers.

"We were kind of matched - Italian people did that" at that time, she said.

In March, they went to Rome to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

"It turned out," she said of their marriage, "that it worked out."

In addition to his home in Longport, Mr. Barbera lived in Boynton Beach, Fla.

Besides his wife, his three sons and his daughter, Mr. Barbera is survived by five grandchildren.

A viewing will begin at 9 a.m. tomorrow at St. Albert the Great Church, 212 Welsh Rd., Huntingdon Valley, followed by an 11 a.m. Mass. Burial is private.

Donations may be made to the Autism Society of Berks County, Box 6683, Wyomissing, Pa. 19610.