Gerald LeRoy O'Barr's Obituary
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Gerald Leroy O’Barr, 83, of San Diego, Calif., passed away peacefully in Zion Medical Center on June 3, 2019, surrounded by family, after a fall and complications from a hip replacement surgery and pneumonia.
Gerald was born on January 26, 1936 in Mesa, Ariz. to Augustus Wesley Barto and Edith DePriest O’Barr. He excelled in school and was particularly gifted in art and science, participating in the National Science Fair in 1954. He received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1958, and after attending Engineer School, Jump School, and Ranger training, joined the Army Corps of Engineers. His first assignment was at Fort Ord, Calif., where he met and married Kathleen Ferrin in 1959, who was working as a nurse in Salinas, Calif. Throughout their nearly 60 years of marriage they were rarely apart; he always said she was a “perfect” wife and mother to their eight children.
After overseeing the construction of Titan II missile silos in Tucson, Ariz. and completing his military service, Gerald obtained a master’s degree in Physics from Brigham Young University. He then moved his family to San Diego to work for General Dynamics, where he made contributions to the Moon Lander, Space Shuttle and numerous military vehicles and systems during a 29-year career in the Aerospace Division’s non-destructive test lab.
In addition to being a world-class porch-sweeper, dove-caller, and old-time piano player, Gerald served throughout his life in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, doing family genealogical research, and posting numerous articles on the Internet about religion, politics and his scientific interests. He developed and promoted theories covering such topics as the shape of the Earth, the source of the Earth’s free oxygen, and his “At Theory” – a unification theory that provides an explanation for the mechanics behind attractive forces, including gravity. One of his life’s greatest disappointments was his inability to convince more people of the correctness and importance of his theories (read more at geraldobarr.com).
Gerald considered his family to be his most important pursuit and was a lifelong teacher, example and quiet cheerleader to his children, finishing his own life story with the following: “For those of you who have kids, may you be as happy and as satisfied with some of your kids as I have been with [mine]. No father could ask for more than this. And no other achievement is necessary to make this life complete.”
Gerald was preceded in death by his parents and oldest daughter, Carolyn (Randall Cornish). Gerald is survived by his wife, Kathleen; children, Nancy (Roger Frantz), Marianne (Ray Persinger); David (Crystal); Robert (Claudia), Stephen (Beronica); Kevin (Valerie); and John (Gladys); 29 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren; and sister Colleen O’Barr Petersen.
Funeral services will be held at 11 am, Monday, August 5, 2019 at the University City LDS Chapel, 2880 Governor Dr., San Diego. Friends may visit with the family prior to the funeral beginning at 10 am. Military Honors and Interment at 1:30 pm, Miramar National Cemetery.
Donations may be made to the Humanitarian Aid Fund ( ldsp-pay.ldschurch.org/donations/church/humanitarian-services/humanitarian-aid-fund) and condolences expressed at www.clairemontmortuary.com.
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