BIO from Monsignor Bonner Hall of Fame, Class of 2023, Hall of Fame Medal Winner:
Joe DeBarberie grew up in Ardmore, PA, the oldest of five children to Joseph and Margaret DeBarberie. He attended St. Colman grade school along with his four brothers.
A 1973 graduate of Archbishop John Carroll High School, he was a member of the baseball team all four years having earned a Varsity letter his junior and senior years. also was a member of the basketball team his freshman and sophomore years. These days Joe serves as Carroll’s Hall of Fame Vice President and Emcee. He is also the class of 1973 golf outing coordinator to raise funds to benefit pancreatic cancer research in memory of a fellow classmate.
Joe attended LaSalle University and studied business management. Joe was a member of Sigma Phi Lambda fraternity and played intramural basketball, football, and softball.
With a full career (46 years) in the insurance industry, Joe has made his mark. He started at the Simkiss Agency as an Account Executive, later moving to PMA Insurance and then onto ManagedComp. For the last 22 years, Joe has worked at AIS Insurance Group where he is currently President of the Commercial Lines Division.
Joe and his wife Patty (Prendie ’76) have been married for 44 years. They are the proud parents of four Bonner and Prendie graduates: sons Joe (2004), Steve (2006), and Matt (2008); and daughter Monica (2010) and their grandson Brody (future class of 2039).
Joe and Patty have been active parishioners of St. Bernadette’s Parish since 1979. He served as the CYO President, Athletic Director, Varsity Baseball Coach, and together with Patty were members of the Pre-Cana marriage team.
His baseball coaching career began in the Llanerch Hills Little League and UDHL Babe Ruth League from 1993-2004. During that period, his teams won 8 District championships. In 2004 the UDHL 14-year-old Babe Ruth team were Pennsylvania State champions.
In 2005 Joe was named Head Coach of Bonner’s Freshman baseball team. He quickly moved up to the JV baseball team in 2006 and 2007 before becoming Head Coach of the Varsity team in 2008. During his ten-year tenure, Monsignor Bonner won three Catholic League Division championships, the 2010 Catholic League championship, and four District 12 championships. Joe led the 2013 team to an undefeated Catholic league season, the first in school history. Joe was named Catholic League coach of the year four times. His overall record was 143-82 and his Catholic League record was 86-42, a 67% winning percentage. Joe continues to be involved in the entire baseball program at Bonner.