Barbour, Richard Elwood (“Dick”) (October 1, 1938–July 28, 2016)

Dick Barbour from Des Moines was an active member of our class. He was President of the Young Democrats and participated in speech contests and activities. On the football team he was a guard and punter; his senior year he was named All Midwest Conference Honorable Mention. Dick also was a pole-vaulter and javelin-thrower on the track team. Obviously, he was a member of the Men’s Honor G athletic letter-winners club. He obtained a B.A. degree in history in 1961 with our class.

The respect of his Clark Hall mates was shown by his being elected its President and thus a member of the Council of House Presidents (CofHP). I fondly recall that at the 1961 Student Council Nominating Convention Dick rose to say I had done much for Grinnell “by filling the Student Council presidency and filling it well.” Dick also served as Off Campus Social Chair.

Immediately after graduating from the College Dick joined the U.S. Navy and went to, and graduated from, Officers’ Candidate School at the U.S. Nava War College. He then embarked on a 28-year naval career that included tours at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Norfolk, VA; the Pentagon; and Seoul, Korea as well as service as Commander of a River Patrol Squadron in Vietnam. He received many awards during his naval career, including the Navy Achievement Medal, the Air Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal and the Legion of Merit.

Following his retirement from the Navy, he worked for 19 more years for defense contractors in the Washington, D.C. area, most recently for General Dynamics. He also enjoyed international travel and golf.

Dick was afflicted with Parkinson’s disease for many years before his death on July 28, 2016. A memorial service was held at a later date at Fort Myer Chapel followed by interment at Arlington National Cemetery.

He was survived by his wife of 53 years, Dolores Ann Raposa Barbour, their sons, Dr. Scott Alan Barbour (Alyssa), Mark Elwood Barbour

(Tammy), and Glen Richard Barbour; granddaughters, Haley, Katelyn, Sydney and Sienna; as well as his sister, Marion Sefren.

(Duane W. Krohnke, author)