Mr. Barry McQuillan PhD

Barry McQuillan, age 59, passed away on October 12, 2012. Raised in West Covina, CA by Neal and Betty McQuillan, Barry was an avid tennis player and student. He was the valedictorian of his high school. Barry graduated from Occidental College with Honors, and earned his PhD in Solid State Chemistry from University of California, Berkeley. Barry moved to San Diego in the early 1980s. He taught college courses in Tijuana and often spoke highly of the experiences and knowledge he gained. At the same time, Barry began a career as a solid state chemist for General Atomics. He authored numerous publications and held three patents for his work, including materials synthesis for the Inertial Containment Fusion team. A passionate Catholic and theologian, Barry was a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic. As a layperson, he upheld the four pillars of Dominican life: Prayer, Study, Community, and Apostolate. Barry led a devout life, researching questions of belief and theology. He led adult catechism classes at the Newman Center of UCSD. In the midst of all this, he began a family. Barry married Debora in 1986, and adopted his three children. Barry was a loving father and husband who strove to imbue his children with a sense of community purpose, faith, and a drive to study and work hard. Barry is survived by his wife Debora, children Christina, Stephen, and Sean, his siblings Gregg and Carole, and eleven grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to: Newman Center of UCSD 4321 Eastgate Mall San Diego, CA 92121