The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Gary Clinton Barnett of Sisters passed away at his home, with family, on April 24, 2019. He was 84.

Gary was the only son of Claude Barnett and Georgia (Bourland) Barnett. He was born in Oceanside, California, where he grew up and graduated from Oceanside High School.

He then joined the U.S. Navy and served on two destroyers, the USS Osborne and the USS Rogers, during the Korean War as an electronics technician. He went to San Diego State College, earning a BS in physics.

Gary met Barbara Ann (Connolly) Barnett while in college and they were married on March 21, 1959. They have remained faithfully devoted to each other for over 60 years. He worked for Visibility Laboratories at Scripps Institute of Oceanography with the first astronauts, among other projects. In l969, he joined Santa Barbara Research Center as a reliability engineer and retired as project manager in 1995.

Gary was very active; he was an avid backpacker, sharing his love of the Sierras with his family and friends. He was a pilot for most of his adult life, racing sailplanes and owning several powered aircraft, flying regularly until he was 82. He rode motorcycles all over the West with several of his engineering friends. He volunteered his time, both to the Boy Scouts and to the EAA, mentoring Young Eagles sharing his love of flying.

Gary is survived by his wife, Barbara Ann Barnett; son Erick Clinton Barnett; daughter Lee Ann Barnett (husband John Boyd); and his granddaughter Meredith Amelia Boyd.

Memorial contributions in Gary’s name may be made to St. Charles Hospice, Bend.

Private family services will be held at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.

Condolences may be conveyed to the family at http://www.deschutesmemorial

chapel.com.