David P. Barton

1944 - 2024

David Paul Barton, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many, passed away in Arlington, VA on December 11, 2024. David dedicated his life to the pursuit of world peace and understanding. He will be remembered for his steadfast achievements, quick wit, nimble ability to play on words, excellent letter writing, and warm support of others. He was born on July 11, 1944 to Bernard and Tatiana (Gnoocheff) Barton in Washington, DC and raised in Silver Spring, MD. He graduated as class president from Montgomery Blair High School and earned his B.A. and played tennis at Dartmouth College. After teaching French at Phillips Andover he earned a Master's degree from the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Early in his career David traveled to Vietnam to co-direct the American Friends (Quaker) Service Quang Ngai Rehabilitation Center from 1970-73, providing prostheses to injured civilians. Amnesty International then sponsored David to speak publicly across the US and Europe. He spent 17 years with the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee where he played a key role in advancing the Chemical Weapons Treaty, and several years for the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and State Dept. In 2002, he led an investigation team and developed the final report for the Joint Inquiry of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees into terrorist events of 9/11/2001. From 2003-05 he worked on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee leading a bi-partisan team to achieve the intelligence reform legislation, adopted as public law in 2004.

After retiring from the government, David coached Yorktown High School's boys' tennis team and taught classes on national security and intelligence policy at the GW Elliott School of International Affairs for 12 years. He found both pursuits extremely rewarding. David was an avid tennis player, a devoted Washington Capitals fan, and a gifted storyteller who delighted in making others laugh. He adored being a father and grandfather, his morning coffee, cooking crepes, and walking his dog. David deeply believed in the Quaker tenet that every person carries an inner light and goodness inside and he lived by this principle, treating everyone he met with kindness and respect.

David is survived by his wife of 30 years, Melanie Barton, children Maria Barton, Nicholas Barton, Alex Eroe (Katie York Eroe) and grandson Jack Barton Spinelli, his brother Peter Barton, sister-in-law Jane Startz Barton, sister-in-law Janet Kritzer (Stuart Kritzer) and family, nephew Jesse Barton (Mazal Ben-Moshe), nieces Katie Barton (Matt Harty) and Zoe Barton (Jordan Dally), and his first wife (Jane Couser Barton). A service will be held at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Arlington, VA on January 11, 2025 at 11 a.m. More information is available at www.dignitymemorial.com. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) or Doctors Without Borders.