Barry Clinton Rhodes

Barry Clinton

Rhodes, 49

PORTLAND - Barry Clinton Rhodes, 49, of Clinton Street, died peacefully Tuesday morning, July 5, 2005 at his residence following a four-year battle with cancer.

Born in Fall River, Mass., he was the son of William C. and Myrtle I. Wood Rhodes. He was a 1973 graduate of Diman Technical Vocational High School.

He moved to Portland, from New Hampshire to take a position as an electrical engineer at Montalvo, a position he held for more than 14 years. During those years that he was at Montalvo, Barry was directly involved in the development of the SC Series of digital controllers which included the SC-1, SC-2, and S-3000 family. He also worked with the team in Denmark to help in the planning and development of the CB 63 and CB 64 controllers. Every load cell manufactured by Montalvo, including those produced in Denmark, had Barry's stamp. In addition, Barry is one of the inventors listed on the patent application of the new U-Series product about to be released.

Every customer, representative and colleague who had a difficult tension control application, knew they could count on Barry for a professional assessment of the situation and solution to the problem. He was not only known as an accomplished electrical engineer, but he had a solid grasp of mechanical engineering as well.

Outside of work, when he wasn't enjoying a hike through the White Mountains, Barry could be found straddling his bright red Ducati motorcycle, as he raced at break-neck speeds in and out of the passing lanes along the highways and byways of Southern Maine and New Hampshire. An avid outdoor enthusiast, he enjoyed rock climbing, skiing and competing in running/cycling biathlons.

A loving and adoring father to his daughter, Alison, Barry remained forever loyal and dedicated to his family and friends.

Barry's unique sense of humor made him a welcome addition to any social event where the accent was on having fun. He treated his quick wit to a liberal dose of dark humor to provide his friends with insight that was both intelligent and edgy, but always delightfully entertaining.

Barry's uncanny ability to build a fully operational space shuttle out of discarded items from around the house earned him the nickname, MacGyver, because he relied on science and wit to solve almost any problem. Whether the occasion called for him to fashion a multi-level gas grill from a discarded toaster oven, or to cook a gourmet meal with the flame from a Zippo lighter, Barry was up for the challenge.

An aspiring gourmet chef with a discerning palate, he had an enviable knack for discovering emerging wines long before the general public made them popular. What began as four friends enjoying a simple summer weekend retreat became a mini food and wine tasting event affectionately known as the 'annual Frye Island weekend of drunken debauchery.'

He is survived, and intensely missed, by his significant other of more than eight years, Kim Barry of Portland; his daughter, Alison Rhodes of Brookfield, N.H.; his father, William Rhodes of Wolfboro, N.H.; as well as family and friends in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. And last, but certainly not least, Mr. Scoots, the cat.

In celebration of Barry's life, a roast will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, July 23, at the Conroy-Tully-Crawford, South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland, where family and friends will share their thoughts and memories. A catered gathering at his home on Clinton Street will directly follow the service; a special toast with his beloved Guinness will be hoisted in his honor. Anyone with an amusing story to share is encouraged to help make Barry's recent statement a reality: 'Damn, I fear I've left you all with WAY too much good 'roast' material on me.”

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to the American Cancer Society in Barry's memory.

John X. Doe

172 State Street, Portland, Maine 04101

1024 Broadway, South Portland, Maine 04106

(207) 773-6511 Fax (207) 773-9622

INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & FAMILY OPERATED