Obituaries
David Barrett obit 7-3-16

David Barrett, 78, Darien Board of Education Member, Babe Ruth League Commissioner

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David Booth Barrett David Booth Barrett, 78, went to be with his Lord in heaven on Friday, June 24, 2016 at home after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer. He was born in New York City Oct. 12, 1937, the son of Isabel and Francis Howard Barrett. David is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Barbara, his children, David Barrett Jr., Sharon Broz, Laura Davidson, Tim Barrett and Anne Wingfield, his 10 grandchildren and many close friends. He was raised in New York City and received his bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University and his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Fordham University School of Law.

Darien Obituaries

Nathen Edwards, 93, Computer Engineer, Active in Church and Scouting, 41-Year Darien Resident

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Nathen Porter Edwards died on May 26, 2016 at the age of 93 in Willow Street, Pa. surrounded by family. 

Nate was born in Cottage Grove, Ore., grew up during the Great Depression and spent two years at the University of Oregon before joining the Navy shortly after Pearl Harbor.  He served in the South Pacific as a Chief Radio Tech, became an officer and was discharged as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1946. After the war he graduated from Stanford University in 1949 with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering. His 41-year electrical engineering career was spent at IBM.  Nate worked with a team considered to be some of the pioneers of computers and he can be considered a pioneer himself.  He was in the room when the term “byte” was coined and he managed the digital design of NORAD’s first air defense computer (SAGE), the physically largest computer ever built.

In the 1960s Nate worked in the Pentagon, on loan from IBM, during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the assassination of President Kennedy.  He held several director-level positions at IBM, performed research and is responsible for 22 technical papers and 14 patents.