Unfortunate news reached the Riordan community on March 30, when former Riordan alumni and faculty member, Kenneth Barbieri, died due to complications with Parkinson’s Disease.
Barbieri was a San Francisco Native who attended Riordan. He would eventually come back to teach history at Riordan for the next 40 years. He was heavily involved in the theater program, producing shows such as Mame, Pygmalion, and Hello, Dolly.
Multiple Riordan alumni voiced their thoughts on his passing. Juan Zumbado ’98 said, “I would like Mr. Barbieri to know that he made a positive contribution to my life. As a lifelong meathead, it matters that I enjoy Shakespeare because of this man. It gave me an appreciation of culture that all young men sorely need. I expect he is enjoying his time in heaven reading Shakespeare without the pain or discomfort of Parkinson’s.”
Christian Peeples ’66 reminisced about his time in the theater program with Barbieri. He was involved in multiple productions such as My Fair Lady and Pygmalion either as a part of the cast or working behind the scenes on stage crew.
Peeples described him as different from the other teachers. Peeples said that Barbieri was, “One of those leaders who can lead without being oppressive.”
Barbieri’s former students and friends also described him as charismatic and inspiring. He was a considerate person who loved Europe and spending time with his nieces and nephews.
Peeples added, “I remember his warmth and how he managed the unruly crew that is a play.”
Barbieri’s impact was memorable to his students and the entire Riordan community. Riordan intends on naming a history classroom after Barbieri and possibly planting a tree in his memory, as his obituary suggested.
President Dr. Andrew Currier stated, “We would love to plant a tree in his honor. We are hoping to name a history classroom in his honor once they are renovated. He influenced and inspired many students to consider history as an academic concentration in college. Although I never had the good fortune of meeting him, I’m told he was an incredible teacher.”