Robert Kirkpatrick Barcus

April 24, 1923 - November 19, 2011

Robert Kirkpatrick Barcus Obituary (Age 88) Bob passed away peacefully of pneumonia on November 19, 2011. He was born on April 24, 1923 to Paul K. and Vivian �Judy� Walden Barcus in Crawfordsville, Indiana. His father, a general contractor, died as a result of an auto accident when he was seven years old. Soon after, his mother moved to Santa Monica, CA to be near her sister. Although it was the height of the great depression, Bob had a wonderful childhood on the beach where he became an expert body surfer and was exposed to the activities which would interest him the rest of his life, mainly sailing, biking, golfing, flying and gliding. After high school graduation he enrolled at the Berkeley campus of the U of CA until WWII when he was appointed to the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point. There he excelled academically and was the commander of 400 �plebes� Furuseth Barrack. He graduated in June, 1945 with his �Third Mates� license and a BS of Naval Science degree. Thinking the war would continue for many more years, he accepted a commission in the Navy as a navigator aboard the attack transport ship USS George Clymer. It was the flagship of a task group staging for landings on the Home Islands of Japan. The plan estimated one million Allied casualties overall and at least three million Japanese military and civilian warrior casualties. Thankfully, the atom bombs were dropped and Japan surrendered. Then they delivered the troops as an occupying force. Next he was assigned to the hospital ship Benevolence and made several trips from Hawaii returning discharged personnel. Finally, the Benevolence with Bob as the navigator served as a hospital ship for the Bikini Atoll Atom Bomb Tests and at the completion of the tests he was given his discharge in September 1946 to return to civilian life. He married Betty Sullivan that month and eventually returned to U of CA for a degree in Mining Engineering where he was honored with membership in Phi Beta Kappa and Tau Beta Phi. He loved being a miner and worked in several states and did consulting in many foreign countries. He became an executive at Cominco American in Spokane where he lived for the last 42 years. Bob loved playing golf at his home course, Manito Golf and Country Club, and the other lovely courses in the area. He was an avid biker, sailor, pilot (both power and glider) and a sometime skier. He worked hard and enjoyed life until stricken with Parkinson �s disease about five years ago. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Paul. Bob is survived by Betty his wife of 65 years and daughters Walden Barcus of Seattle and Dr. Susan Barcus Kay of Beverly Hills, CA; also granddaughters Brittany and Morgan Kay of Beverly Hills. At Bob�s request, no services will be held. � To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Robert, please visit our Tree Store. Read more Events NOV 19