Bruce Barnaby

Bruce loved life, cherished people, and was curious about the world. Though a Democrat, he was always respectful of different points of view. He knew his science: he graduated from Notre Dame with a PhD in Physics and subsequently worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory and at Sandia Labs, from which he retired in 1994. He knew how to fix almost anything, and he could build almost anything: fences and sheds, an electric car from a broken-down Corvair, playhouses for grandchildren, and with his wife and sons an authentic adobe home in Peralta. He liked sports and was especially devoted to Little League Baseball, coaching winning and losing teams over many years. He lived long enough to see his beloved Chicago Cubs win the World Series. He taught his sons how to work hard and play fair. Although he hated war, he was a patriot: he joined the US Marines, served in Korea, and rose to the rank of captain. He loved to sing and dance. In fact, he met his wife, Clo Ann Ward, on a blind date on September 3, 1957 in Helena, Montana at a dance-hall on Last Chance Gulch. She fell in love with him because he was a smooth dancer with a great sense of humor. They married three months later, and the love affair lasted 62 years.

Burial has taken place. An Irish Wake celebrating Bruce’s life will be held on Sunday, August 11th, from 1-4pm at O’Niell’s Irish Pub. 4310 Central Ave. SE.