Olimpia Barbera

Olimpia Farina Barbera, age 100, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 5, 2019, at her home in Winter Garden, Florida. She was preceded in death by her husband, Anthony F. Barbera, her daughter, Carol Barbera Trexler, and her son Salvatore J. Barbera. She is survived by her son, Carlos (Diane) Barbera, grandchildren Christina Trexler (Nathan Layne), Tony (Jennifer) Barbera, Elliot (Abby Hirt) Trexler, Samantha Barbera, Carolyn (Casey) Pallotta, and three great-grandchildren.

Olimpia was born on October 25, 1919 in Cordoba, Argentina to Carlos and Carolina (Bertorello) Farina. Her love of music began at an early age, and her study of piano culminated in passing advanced exams at age 18, becoming a professor of piano. She met her husband, Anthony (Tony), a manager with Eli Lilly South America, in 1946. After their marriage in 1948, they lived in Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Brazil, Venezuela, finally ending up stateside in Indianapolis, Indiana. Regardless of the country, Olimpia made it her mission to teach and bring the gift to music to all. Her many accomplishments included establishing a free music school to underprivileged children in Argentina, as well as forming and conducting an orchestra of deaf children in Venezuela, for which she received accolades from many, including President Raul Leoni of Venezuela.

The family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana in 1969, and Olimpia immediately began to immerse herself in the cultural community. She was an active member of the Indiana Piano Teachers Guild, Matinee Musicale, the American Pianist Association, as well as teaching private lessons to scores of students in her home.

After the death of her beloved husband, Olimpia established the Anthony and Olimpia Barbera Scholarship Fund to promote music education of Latin American students at Indiana University. She felt such a close connection with Indiana University that she relocated to Bloomington, Indiana to be closer to the School of Music and the students. While living in Meadowood Retirement Community in Bloomington, she often hosted concerts for fellow residents, urging them to pick up the instruments they knew best and join along.

Relocating back to the Indianapolis area to be closer to family, Olimpia lived in Hoosier Village Retirement Community. She continued to spread her love of music to the residents with her skill at the piano. In 2019, Olimpia moved to Florida to be closer to her surviving son, Carlos.

Olimpia’s legacy is truly one of giving the gift of music to all she touched, first and foremost, her family. She fostered deep and lasting relationships with her passion for music, and she will be missed by all.
A Mass will be held on Monday, December 16, 2019 at 10:30 am at St. Francis In-The-Fields Episcopal Church, 1525 Mulberry St., Zionsville, IN.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that gifts be made, in Olimpia’s memory, to the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Society of the Friends of Music. Checks can be made payable to: “IU Foundation”, with “JSoM Friends of Music” in the memo line. Gifts can be mailed c/o the IU Foundation, P.O. Box 6460, Indianapolis, IN 46206-6460.