John A. Barone

BARONE John A. Barone, Ph.D., beloved husband of Rose Marie Pace Barone, died on June 1, 2007. Born on August 30, 1924, in Dunkirk, New York, he graduated from the University of Buffalo, and went on to receive his master's and doctorate in chemistry from Purdue University. Also a graduate of the Yale Foreign Area and Language School, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II. In 1950, he joined the then-fledgling Fairfield University's chemistry department and became a Fairfield resident. The early years of his 42-year career at the University included receiving Fairfield's first competitive research grant for his work in cancer anti-metabolites; publishing the University's first refereed article in the Journal of Organic Chemistry; and establishing a collaborative research program for chemistry faculty and students a pioneering National Science Foundation (NSF) program at the time. A series of grants from NSF and the National Cancer Institute continued to support his research. By 1962, Dr. Barone had risen to full professor, all the while seeking for the University the same high standards he set for himself. In 1963, he formally combined his teaching and administrative roles as Fairfield University's director of planning and research. Three years later he was promoted to vice president for planning, to help prepare for the move to coeducation. In 1970, he became the University's first provost, an appointment that made him the highest-ranking lay person in the nation's 28 Jesuit college and universities. Among his administrative responsibilities as provost, he oversaw the construction or renovation of almost every building on the property, always with an eye to preserving the natural beauty of campus. Upon his retirement with emeritus status in 1992, and in recognition of his role as one of Fairfield's true visionaries and builders, the John A. Barone Campus Center was named in his honor. He also received an honorary doctorate from Fairfield University that year. Throughout his career, Dr. Barone served the region in many ways. For 14 years, he served as vice chairman of the Connecticut Health and Education Facilities Authority (CHEFA), retiring in 2001. In gratitude for his dedication, Gov. John Rowland declared 9/10/01 as John A. Barone Day in the State of Connecticut. Dr. Barone also served on the board of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Conn., the Statewide Health Coordinating Council, and St. Vincent's College, where the institution's Resource Center is named for him and his wife. Dr. Barone was an officer and/or board member of the Center for Financial Studies at Fairfield University, the Hall-Brooke Foundation, the Connecticut Council for Science Education, and the Jesuit Research Council of America, as well as state advisory committees of the Department of Health and the Commission for Higher Education. He was also a member of the American Chemical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association of University Professors, Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, Phi Lambda Upsilon, the Newcomen Society, and the Algonquin Club. Predeceased by eight brothers and sisters, he is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, as well as many nieces and nephews. They include John Anderluh of Illinois, Mary Ellen Halas of Ohio, Barbara Hennigson of Connecticut, Marcia Schmidt of Florida, Cheryl Yannello, Karen Eliff, and Judith Yannello, all of Virginia, Nancy Miller, Joann Snover, and Richard Barton, all of New York, William Barone and Linda Buel of Arizona, and a sister-in-law, Lillian Barone Bullock, of New York. Calling hours are on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Lesko & Polke Funeral Home, 1209 Post Road, in Fairfield Center. Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. DIRECTLY in the Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola on the Fairfield University campus. His entombment will follow in Oaklawn Cemetery, with full military honors. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Pace/Barone Scholarship Fund at Fairfield University, 1073 North Benson Rd., Fairfield, CT 06824. To sign an online register, please visit www. Leskopolkefuneralhome.com.