Barrett, Ronald Eugene – 1923-2010

BARRETT, DAVIS, GODDARD, GRAUER, MARX, NORGARD, RENNPAGE, ROELLE, RUMBAUGH, WICHERS

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 8/1/2010 at 18:28:19

Ronald Eugene Barrett, 87, died suddenly and unexpectedly on Tuesday, July 13, 2010, at his home in Fresno, Calif. No funeral service is planned. There will be a private burial ceremony at a later date in Memorial Park Cemetery in Muscatine, Iowa.
Ron was born June 27, 1923, in Valley Junction, Iowa, the third of five sons of Bryan and Stella Rumbaugh Barrett. He and his wife, Elaine Davis Barrett, both grew up in Newton, Iowa, and would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this coming Nov. 9.
He graduated from Newton Senior High School, class of 1941. He enlisted in the United States Navy in January 1942 and served aboard LSTs in the Pacific. He participated in landing operations in the Gilbert Islands, Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands and Okinawa. He received an honorable discharge in October 1945 as a motor machinist mate first class.
He enrolled at University of Iowa in February 1946 under the GI Bill and received a bachelor of science with honors in mechanical engineering in June 1949.
Ron joined Stanley Consultants Inc. (SCI) following university graduation. He made a home for his family in Muscatine for nearly 50 years before moving to Fresno in 1998. He was a member of SCI for more than 40 years, holding several major leadership positions, including head of the International Division, head of the Power Division and head of the Corporate Services Division. He traveled to all 50 states, three U.S. territories and 74 countries over the course of his career at SCI. He played an important role in building SCI into a world class engineering firm and brought many international government and business leaders to visit Muscatine. He left a network of friends and business associates throughout the world. He retired as executive vice president in 1986 and continued to serve as a member of the board of directors and in various special management and business development assignments until 1993. He also served as interim president of the SCI subsidiary in West Palm Beach, Fla., for a short period after his retirement. He held great respect for his mentor, the late SCI founder C. Maxwell Stanley, and was extremely proud of his own mentee, Gregs Thomopulos, current CEO and chair of SCI. Ron leaves a legacy in the international engineering community and the permanence of great public infrastructure projects on five continents.
He was an active member of the First Christian Church in Muscatine, serving as deacon and elder and teaching Sunday school classes for several years.
He was a long time active leader in Muscatine Elks Lodge #304.
He enjoyed the Iowa Hawkeyes, political discussions, golf, travel, gardening and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Although he put his family first and devoted great commitment and energy to his professional career, he nurtured a broad network of friendships in the Muscatine and Iowa City communities.
He is survived by his loving wife; two sons, Bruce Barrett of Vancouver, British Columbia, and his wife, Linda Wichers Barrett, and Bryan Barrett of Anamosa, Iowa; a daughter, Mary Norgard of Fresno, Calif., and her husband, Alan; four grandchildren, Emily Barrett Davis and husband Joe of Chicago, Evan Barrett and wife Lindsay Marx Barrett of Minneapolis, Ally Norgard and Angela Roelle Grauer of Fresno; seven great grandchildren; one great-great grandson; and two sisters-in-law, Ruth Rennpage and husband Harold of Newton and Jean Goddard and husband Ernest of Des Moines.
He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers; a son, Ronald Eugene Barrett Jr.; and a grandson, Branson Barrett.
Source: Newton Daily News; Monday, July 26, 2010