Robert Barnard

Dr. Bob Dr. Robert Barnard died February 26, 2014 at his Cooper Point home. He was born 1929 in Bozeman, Montana, where he graduated from high school in 1947 and went on to Montana State University to study chemistry, ultimately receiving a doctorate in chemistry from Ohio State University in 1969. He married Marjorie Thomas of Cut Bank, Montana, in 1955. They raised four children. He traveled internationally with the American Chemical Society to India, Turkey, China, Thailand, and Mexico, sharing his knowledge and skills. Bob was a pioneer in the development of aids for use in teaching chemistry. In 1966 he was author of Television for the Modern Chemistry Classroom. Two years later he came to Olympia, having been selected by Governor Dan Evans, to be a planning faculty member of The Evergreen State College. He was appointed a McLane Fire District 9 Fire Commissioner in 2003 to fill a vacant position and was elected to a full term in 2008. Training was his passion and he was a respected mentor to firefighters and fire service leaders alike. He developed fire training manuals, safety policies and programs for the State, notably for the Fire Training Center at North Bend. He served as a Washington State Fire Commissioner and a representative to the State Department of Labor and Industries. At a national level he co-developed and taught the Fire Department Safety Officer Course for the Fire Department Safety Officers Association, receiving national recognition from President Clinton for his volunteer work in designing and implementing the state Wildlife Rescue Coalition's plan for an oil spill wildlife response system. He was a creative gardener with a keen eye for beautiful things in nature and his garden was an inspiration of peace and tranquility. Survivors are daughters, Cheri Berri-Lesh, Olympia, WA, and Julie Barnard, Brooklyn, New York; grandchildren Casey Hulbert, Kirkland, WA, Shannon Mojica, Olympia, WA, Evan Lesh, Redmond, WA, and Mandy Householder, Ismay, MT. A life celebration will be held at The Evergreen State College Library on April 26, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the McLane Black Lake Fire Fighters Association for Families in Need fund.