KP6AA 1947 Palmyra Island

"Shub" Barnes, KP6AA. Photo courtesy of Crist Mortuary, Boulder, Colorado.

Stephen Sherwood Barnes, Sr. of Boulder passed away on October 10, 2010. He was born on April 11, 1915 in Philadelphia, PA to Arthur and Elizabeth (Brownback) Barnes, and was the eldest child of 6 children. After spending his early years in Philadelphia, Stephen and his family moved to the Valley Forge, PA area, eventually settling in nearby Phoenixville. It was during this time that he developed his passion for baseball, even attending with his uncle the only game the famed 1927 NY Yankees were shut out, 1-0, by the Philadelphia Athletics. He saw baseball's great stars of that era, including Ruth, Gehrig, and Cobb. He also became fascinated with electronics and earned an amateur radio operator's license at the unusually early age of 15. Ham radio became an enduring part of Stephen's life; it not only served as an important hobby, but also led him toward his career and associations later in life. In 1934, Stephen enrolled at West Chester State Teacher's College and pitched for the varsity baseball team all four years. He was considered the left-handed ace of the pitching staff and beat much larger schools, including Penn St., the University of Pennsylvania, and Duke, and even won an exhibition game against the Baltimore Orioles. Once, he pitched back-to-back games of a double header, hurling over 200 pitches in one afternoon, unheard of these days. Following graduation, he played for several minor league baseball teams, including the Lynchburg (VA) Grays, where he met Louise Camden on a double date. Since he was regarded as "that Yankee" by Louise's father, he and Louise eloped and were married, May 21, 1940, in Salem, VA. Luckily, once Louise's father learned of the marriage, he and all of the Camdens accepted Stephen into the family, and they grew to like and admire him. Since semi-pro baseball didn't afford much of a living, Stephen and Louise returned to Phoenixville in 1941, where he taught English at Phoenixville High School. Interestingly, his younger brother Bob was in one of his classes. Rest assured, he graded him harder than the other students in the class and never showed any favoritism. In June, 1941 Stephen Jr. was born, followed by Melanie in June, 1943. In 1944, Stephen enlisted in the US Navy, served on the heavy cruiser USS Los Angeles during the final stages of World War II, and honorably separated from the service in 1946. He attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer and gained further knowledge in electronics working in the ship's radar section. Later in 1946, he began a career with National Bureau of Standards (NBS), became a certified Professional Engineer, and worked for the NBS until his retirement in 1994. His first assignment was as Officer in Charge (OIC) at Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific, and he moved the family there for three years, 1946-49. The young family enjoyed the pristine lagoons and shell-filled beaches on the sparsely populated island. At one time, a pilot crash-landed on the atoll, and Stephen pulled him from the wreckage, saving his life. The family also endured a home fire, which destroyed virtually all their possessions and caused him severe burns. From 1949-52, Stephen was assigned as the Ionosondist for the Maui, Hawaii Ionosphere Station. In this capacity, Stephen supplied vital communication data to the military. A third child, Gregory, was born there in 1952. The family moved to Guam from 1952-54, where Stephen was once again the OIC. Since this island was occupied by the Japanese during World War II, the kids had to watch out for land mines and Japanese soldiers who refused to surrender. Luckily, no incidents. After eight years of living in the tropics, his next position as OIC included a move to a much colder climate, Anchorage, AK, from 1954-57. As you can imagine, this was a radical change for people used to the balmy Pacific islands, but the family adapted quickly and visited many of the beautiful sites that Alaska has to offer. In 1957, Stephen took the opportunity to work in the Antarctic, serving as Station Scientific Leader at Byrd Station during the International Geophysical Year (IGY). This important scientific project ended a long period during the Cold War when scientific interchange between communist Eastern Bloc countries and the free West was interrupted. He was gone over a year on this assignment, although weekly ham radio contacts allowed him to stay in touch with the family. When he returned, he was offered a position at the NBS labs in Boulder, CO, and the family moved here in 1959. For one three-month time period in 1961, he once again returned to the Antarctic to help establish a base in a previously unexplored area of the continent. Significantly, he and his colleagues were dropped off in bitter cold temperatures with all the supplies necessary to construct buildings, and they knew they had very limited time to get under shelter before they froze. Thankfully, they made it! Stephen continued to work in Boulder until 1974, where he retired as an Assistant Director of a large division. In 1977, Stephen was offered the chance to return to the Maui Ionosphere Station, since he was so familiar with the equipment and procedures necessary to do the job. He and Louise moved back to Maui, and he continued to run the station until 1994, when they returned to Boulder. During their long stay on Maui, they welcomed many visitors, particularly family. They also used Maui as a mid-Pacific launching point to visit Australia, New Zealand, and Tahiti. From 1994 until his death, Stephen lived with Louise in their home outside Boulder, traveled around beautiful Colorado, and enjoyed the love of many family members who lived close by.

Some of his former calls: W3CRW, K0YKJ and he operated from KC4USB.

QSL K8CX Collection
Info courtesy of W5KNE & Stephen Barnes son-in-law
Photo courtesy of Crist Mortuary