BARRINGER HENRY CHARLES BARRINGER (Age 88) World War II veteran, diplomat, teacher, peace advocate, world traveler, and life-long resident of world affairs and world religious, passed away on January 14, 2009 in Alexandria, Virginia. Henry Barringer was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on May 20, 1920. He graduated from Grosse Point High School, Detroit Michigan (1938) and the University of Michigan (1942) and pursued graduate studies in foreing relations at Georgetown University. He dedicated his life to his family, public services, and the promotion of mediation and peaceful means of dispute resolution. Henry also found great pleasure in sailing, skiing, and tennis throughout his life, right up until the end. Henry's career began with the U.S. Army Intelligence during World War II. Because of his command of the German language, Henry was first assigned to Bletchley Park, England, where German codes were deciphered and translaated and later as a translator and interrogator of German prisoners of war in General Patton's army. He was with Patton's army when they reached Berchtesgaden, Hitler's country residence, on May 4, 1945. After the war, Henry served as the Military Attache' in Montevideo, Uruguay before staring a distinguishsed 30 year career as a foreign service officer with the Department of State and the Central Intelligence Agency. Henry's tours of duty were: Copenhagen, Denmark, Bogota', Columbia, Athens, Greece, Bukavu, Congo, Bujumbura, Burundi, and Frankfurt, Germany. Henry spoke German, Spanish, French, Greek, Danish and Norweigan. Throughtout his military and foreign service career, Henry was accompanied by his talented wife and his children. After retiring from the Foreign Service in 1973, Henry met a kindred soul, Dr. Bryant Wedge, and started a long campaign to lobby for a National Peace Academy. This campaign laid the foundation for the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University and the U.S. Institute of Peace. Henry was a strong and persistent advocate in promoting mediation and peaceful approaches to conflict in both private and public forums. During his long life and career he was witness to the ravages of war, political upheavals, extreme poverty, and huge economic and social changes in the countries in which he served and traveled. Despite often discouraging signs of "human foolishness", he maintained a fine sense of humor and an insatiable appetite for the arts and world cultures. Over the course of the last thirty years he was active in the Diplomatic and Consular Officers Retired (DACOR) organization, the Christian Science Church, the Historical Society of Washington D.C., the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Search for Common Ground, and The Ponder Group, an innovative forum for discussing world issues. Henry is survived by his devoted wife of more than 66 years, Hood Hoover Barringer, his three children, Bonnie, William, and Charles, William's wife Victoria, and three grandchildren, Erin, Daniel and Dylan. He also leaves behind Hood's godson, Colonel Charles West Stewart (Ret.) and his wife Linda, and their two children and grandchild Hillary Stewart and Heather, Alan and Harper Dean with whom he had a very close and special relationship, and many special friends and admirers including those on Lake Walloon, Michigan where he spent summers throughout most of his life. Henry's remains will be placed at the Arlington Memorial Cemetery Crematorium, Arlington, Virginia in honor of his military service. There will be no public service, but friends and family will be invited to a celebration of his life in the near future. The family requests that donations in Henry's memory be made to one of the following organizations: The Search for Common Ground, (1601 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 200, Washington, D.C., 20009), The Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (George Mason University Foundation, 4400 University Drive, MS1A3, Fairfax, VA 22030), or the Friends of the Mental Health Center (720 N. Saint Asaph Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314). Gestures of condolence and sympathy may be sent to the family at their home address or to: [email protected] Henry will be deeply missed.

Washington Post, The (DC)
Date: January 25, 2009